Rescue Me
by BlueEyesBlueSkies
Summary: Ella Potts had been taken by Hydra, tortured for days while they tried to gather information about her sister Pepper and her boyfriend Tony Stark and his pals, the Avengers. When Ella wouldn't break, Hydra sent in their deadliest weapon, The Winter Soldier. But all isn't really as it seems, and before they know it the line has blurred between captor/captive and something more.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there! This is my first time tackling an Avengers fan fiction, so please feel free to be brutally honest and let me know what you think! I have been scouring what has already been published for the perfect dark/romantic/smutty Bucky Barnes fic, and while there are some good ones out there they frankly just weren't quite cutting it for what I had in mind. So, I decided to just write it myself! :) I hope you enjoy! I'm not positive where I'm going to take this story yet, and don't necessarily have an end-goal in mind, so if you have thoughts/suggestions please feel free to comment and share!**

 **Disclaimer:**

 **I'm the author of this story. I don't own anything except my original character. This story is simply intended for enjoyment of the readers. Please don't sue me!**

Ella pulled against the cold steel wrapped around her wrists and ankles a final time, bucking with all her weight, to no avail. It was no use. They were tight as hell, and they weren't going to budge. Her mind wandered as she started to count the cement blocks of her cell. How in the hell was she going to get out of this? They rotated guards frequently, and she was never left alone for more than an hour at a time. She hadn't eaten in two days, and even then it was just a measly protein bar. She got one glass of water once a day, and the last one she'd used to launch spit into the face of her interrogator.

That hadn't gone over very well, judging by the gash on her right cheek. She smiled smugly to herself. It didn't matter; it was worth it.

Hydra wanted information about her sister Pepper and her stupid boyfriend, Tony Starks. Ella hadn't talked to Pepper in years, and she'd never even met the "Iron Man". She rolled her eyes as she thought back to the few glimpses she'd caught of him on the television screen. Iron Man. What a stupid nickname.

She wasn't special, she had no super powers, no power at all really, and yet here she was restrained like she was Captain Fucking America while Russians berated her every hour, on the hour.

The first day she'd tried to pass the time by catching catnaps in between interrogations. But when the memories of her recent torture started to creep into her dreams, she quickly started to fight like hell to stay away as often as possible, for as long as possible.

She sighed as the minutes ticked by in her mind. Approximately…five to go? She sighed, shifting in her seat and adjusting her legs. She exhaled a deep breath as she started to clear her mind. She needed to prepare before they entered and the pain began once again.

She exhaled a long sigh as the door creaked open suddenly. _Shit_. Here we go again…

He couldn't understand why she hadn't broken already. Thinking to throw her off, they'd sent the next agent in a few minutes early, and planned to leave him in there a few minutes late. But the damn girl didn't move a muscle as the Hydra agent stormed in and started wailing on her with the whip. And when he screamed in her face, asking where they could find the Avengers?

She'd cracked a motherfucking smile.

Something stirred deep in his gut, a feeling like something from long ago was coming back to life. While he tried to quiet the unsettling feeling washing over him, a hand clamping down on his shoulder pulled him back to the girl before him.

"It is time, Winter Soldier. We need the information. You must be the one to break her." The voice of his handler floated softly into his ear while his steel arm flexed in anticipation.

She would talk for him. She had to. Or she would die.

She smirked internally at the retreating back of the agent furiously leaving her cell. Even when he slammed the door with all he had, she didn't flinch. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

Ella had yet to actually open her mouth, other than the spitting incident, since the torture began. What was the damn point? She didn't know anything anyway. And they wouldn't believe her if she'd told them, so it was useless really. Might as well play dumb and keep silent. She may not have what they wanted, but she wasn't going to let them get to her. She swallowed resolutely at herself. Yes, she was too strong for that.

A splinter of fear slipped in to knot her stomach as the door flew open once again a second later. _What the hell?_

The splinter split into a thousand as ice shot through her veins. She recognized him from the news, too. James Buchanan Barnes. The Winter Soldier.

Ella quickly tried to hide the surprise from her eyes as he strode in and quietly shut the door before turning to lean his back against it and survey her with cold eyes. She couldn't let him see he had affected her. As soon as he knew she was afraid she was as good as dead.

She leaned back in her seat as casually as she could and cocked her head at him, openly letting her eyes slide down from the wisps of hair gracing his forehead, past a chest and abdomen as sculpted as Adonis from what she could see under his tight t-shirt, all the way down to the toe of his black leather boots. As her eyes slowly moved back up him, she brazenly stared at his crotch before blinking her eyes back up to his and slowly running the tip of her tongue across her bottom lip.

She openly smirked when she saw the anger flare in his eyes before he carefully schooled his face back into a mask and exhaled sharply through his nose. She couldn't help herself. Even though she was terrified and she was pretty sure she was going to vomit all over herself in a few minutes if she wasn't careful, she couldn't help but appreciate the raw magnitude of power radiating out from the man before her. Plus, he was honestly hot as hell.

She shut her eyes and sighed, intentionally relaxing all of her facial muscles until she was calm and relaxed. She kept her eyes shut while the booted feet came up to rest in front of her, and forcibly kept her breathing even while she felt heat radiate in front of her as he leaned down over her, closing the distance until she could feel his breath hit her face.

"Mmm," he hummed in front of her, and she could feel his eyes carefully studying her while she kept her face open and relaxed.

The whisper of wind across her cheek was all the warning she had before the cool glint of his steel hand wrapped tightly around her neck, squeezing hard enough to bruise and cut off her air supply. Her eyes shot open, and she fought to control the stark fear she was sure he saw running through them while she tried not to gasp for air as he choked the life out of her.

Her mind raced as she found herself staring into the eyes of the man who was seconds away from killing her. His fist was closing tighter and tighter around her neck, his cold eyes suddenly hot as they blazed into hers, and she found herself thinking the flecks of gray weaving with the green were actually quite beautiful. She forced her eyes to stay open and fought back the panic, desperately trying to hang on to any sense of calm, any sense of control, she had left. Thinking back to earlier when she'd managed to disarm him, she ignored the insistent squeezing of her lungs in her chest, and she pulled her lips up into a smile.

She felt his grip on her neck falter as his eyes darkened while they roamed over her face and took in her smile, and she greedily inhaled a fresh breath of oxygen into her starved lungs through her delicate nose. He snarled at her, lip curling while he ripped his hand away from her neck and leaned in close for just a second, before turning quickly on his booted heal to stride back towards the door.

She watched his metal fist punch a dent the size of a bowling ball into the thick cell door before he furiously yanked it open and disappeared around the corner while it slammed shut. And still, all she could do, was smile.

He stalked down the hallway with purpose, shoving any sniveling junior agents in his way while he marched back to the observation room. As he stepped heavily up to the television screen to watch once again, he felt fury blaze through him. The girl was still fucking smiling.

No one smiled in the face of the Winter Soldier. No one blatantly sized him up the way she had when he'd first entered the room, and then had the audacity to feel anything other than fear. He was furious, livid, eyes blazing as he looked for something to take his anger out on. She'd _looked_ at him, really looked at him, more than anyone had probably since before he could remember. And she'd fucking _smiled_.

The voice of his handler drifted into the room from the doorway. "Perhaps, a different kind of torture?" He asked softly, though he knew it wasn't a question.

He tilted his head, watching back the tape of his little meeting with her on another screen. "What do you think will break the girl?" His handler questioned behind him.

His eyes narrowed as he watched it back one last time. Maybe, just maybe… "Hope," he said simply, crossing his arms as he turned back to watch the girl live on the screen.

A chuckle floated behind him, and once again that _thing_ inside him clenched, fluttering just slightly, awakening something else within him that jarred against the coldness all around him. "You have two days, Winter Soldier. Use them wisely." And with that, he found himself alone once again, watching as the girl, _Ella_ , raised her head to count the blocks on the wall off to the left, lips moving silently.


	2. Chapter 2

Forty-eight hours. He had forty-eight hours before they flipped the switch and his inner beast was unleashed. He rolled his shoulders as he stalked through the underground hallway towards her cell. Most days, he couldn't really tell the difference between when the Soldier was in charge and when he was. But for some reason, with that girl, something made him want to keep the Soldier at bay. And he hated it.

He kicked the door open, anger flaring at the stupid fucking smile she shot at him. He yanked the knife out of his back pocket and strode up to her, eyes dark and face hard, pushing the knife into her face.

Although she fought hard to keep the smile on her face and the fear out of her eyes, he knew better. He could smell it on her. He had her attention this time. She was afraid.

He flicked his wrist casually, bringing the tip of the knife to graze against the soft skin of her neck, just enough pressure to scratch the skin without breaking it. Her chest quivered as she sucked in a breath, and he watched as she swallowed, the delicate muscles of her throat flexing under her skin. He brought his eyes lazily back up from the end of the knife where it pressed into her throat up to those beautiful blue eyes, flecks of gold winking at him in the waves of blue.

He tilted his head as he studied her, watching the way she forced the fear out of her eyes, the way she controlled her breathing, the way she carefully held her body in as relaxed a pose as possible. His eyes widened with a start. He was actually… Intrigued by her. Interested, curious beyond the cursory amount required to extract information. Maybe that's how he could break her then. If he was intrigued, maybe she was too? Combine that with a little hope, and before you know it she'd be like honey in his hands.

Ella had the distinct impression that this must be what the animals in the zoo feel like when the people watch them in their cages. She felt cornered, surrounded by the overwhelming presence of the man crouched before her, pressing a knife into her throat. He was looking at her the way she imagined most predators watched their prey. With calculated intent, awareness, and a little bit of interest. She fought back the shiver threatening to roll over her spine at the feel of the knife digging into her neck, and bile rose in her throat when he tilted his head to study her further.

She could smell the death that hung off his broad shoulders, rolling in waves to warn those around him to placate or fold. With a jolt she realized that despite the intensity of both of their interactions thus far, they had yet to actually even speak to each other. He hadn't peppered her with questions or demanded any answers. He just studied her, nearly choked the life out of her, and now pressed a knife to her throat.

Maybe this was it then. Maybe they'd grown bored of asking her questions. Maybe he was sent here to watch her die.

"Ready to go?" He rumbled, voice barely above a whisper, low and almost soothing its depth.

Wait… what? She felt the confusion creep into her eyes as she searched his face, tensing her shoulders with unease.

He licked his lips before pressing the knife a bit further into her neck, nicking the skin. "I asked you a question. Are you ready to go?" He said it slowly this time, and she had the distinct impression that she didn't want to make him ask her again.

She bit her lip and nodded slowly up at him.

"If you behave, you can walk out beside me. If you try anything, I'll knock you out and keep you that way until we get there."

She exhaled through her nose, trying to calm her racing heart. It was nearly beating out of her chest, and she was almost certain he could actually hear it. She nodded once. She'd behave. For now.

He hummed as he took the knife away from her throat and reached down to pull the key to her chains out of his pocket. "Hold still," he mumbled as he started to unlock first her legs and then her hands.

The feeling of his warm palm cradling her calf gently was both totally surprising and completely unsettling. The heat from his hand burned straight through her jeans to warm her skin, and she had to fight back another shiver. She huffed in annoyance at herself. This time, she wasn't shivering from fear.

Onto the other leg, he once again burned into her leg while he cupped her calf and unlocked that ankle, gently stroking his thumb along the tear from where she'd been stabbed during one of the earlier torture rounds. She watched him with guarded eyes while he lifted up her foot to take a look at the wound, reaching out to graze his finger over the rough stitches they'd put in, before he gently set her foot back on the floor.

That same damn palm now came to rest on her right forearm while he unlocked her wrist, and she tried to snatch her hand back when the cool metal of his left hand gently took hold of her wrist and twisted it a bit to work the kinks out. He held on tighter, pulling on each of her fingers in turn until the joints popped at resettled.

Her eyes blazed up at him with confusion and bewilderment. What in the fucking hell was this?

When he unlocked her other wrist and did the same massaging motions, she couldn't entirely stifle the moan of pleasure at the pop as her wrist shifted back into place.

He chuckled, a sound so devilishly delicious it shot straight down her spine to pool low in between her thighs. He met her now-guarded gaze as he gently reached down to pull her to her feet. "I know a thing or two about the effects of being restrained," he said in response to the unanswered question shining in her eyes.

She snorted, pulling her hands out of his and gesturing for him to lead the way. As she started to follow him, her legs gave out from under her from lack of use. As she put her arms out to break her fall she was suddenly swept up into the arms of the man in front of her, who held her bridal style close to his chest. She struggled to get down but he only held her tighter as he started to walk from the room and down the cold corridor.

"Something you'd like to say?" He rumbled into her ear with amusement, carrying her like she weighed less than a feather as he made his way to the stairwell.

She huffed in annoyance. She hadn't spoken a word since they'd captured her, and she had no idea what the hell was going on so she was damned if she was going to start talking now.

He chuckled once again, the vibrations rocking into her side and sending goose bumps across her arms. "Didn't think so." Ugh, he was so smug about it to. He knew what she was doing, and for some reason was determined to tease her rather than get annoyed and beat her. How bizarre, and how unlike the behavior of all of her previous captors/torturers.

She sighed, resigning herself to just settling in comfortably while he carried her into an underground garage. Wait, they were really leaving?

"Just for a few days."

God damn it, could he read her mind?

"No, I'm just good at reading people."

She bit her tongue and forced herself not to snap at him before crossing her arms and leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Your chariot, m'lady," he said with amusement as he set her down on her feet next to a black sports car of some kind. The windows were tinted black, and there black accents and inside she saw black leather seats and detailing. He gestured in front of the open passenger door, and with as much dignity as she had left she slid into the passenger seat.

She whipped her head around but as soon as she started to reach for the keys he was sliding in on the drivers side and batting her hand away gently with a tsk. "Now now, doll, you said you'd behave."

"Actually, I haven't said a damn thing you arrogant asshole." Shit! Shit shit shit! Why the fuck couldn't she keep her mouth shut! She flushed crimson in the face of his wide eyed smirk and angrily flopped over to stare out the window as he fired up the engine and raced out of the garage.

He was pretty sure the voice of an angel sounded like nails on a chalkboard compared to the voice of the woman sitting next to him. Even the tone of her voice conveyed all of his newly discovered favorite things about her. Her grace, her delicacy, her sex appeal, and the saucy little minx had the vocabulary of a sailor.

He smirked to himself as he drove down the deserted highway towards the cabin he was taking her to. This assignment was shaping up to be the best one he'd ever had. Hell, while he was unlocking her from her chair he was half-hard just from grazing his fingertips over her soft skin. He slid his eyes to watch her as she gazed out the window. Plus, she was fucking gorgeous. Long blond hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, eyes as deep as the ocean, pert little nose with high pink cheeks. She was a knockout, and had the balls of steel to match.

He found himself impressed with how she could keep calm under the torture she'd endured, never once breaking or giving an inch. She hadn't flinched when they'd beat her, stabbed her, screamed at her, threw shit at her. She hadn't flinched when he'd damn near choked her to death.

He smirked again. He'd cracked her just a bit though. He'd annoyed her, irritated her, gotten under her fair little skin. He could smell it the second her fear had shifted to arousal as he was stroking her leg, and damn him if he didn't want to just kiss her right there and then.

But what he had in mind took a little more finesse. Getting her into bed wasn't the end game, though he was most definitely looking forward to it. No, the point was getting her to fall for him too. Then she would spill all her dirty little secrets, and he could take her back and dump her with his handler for him to deal with.

Forty-seven hours. He chuckled with amusement. He'd probably only need the first two.


	3. Chapter 3

THANK YOU to everyone who is following this story! Your comments and follows/favorites keep me going! I was so motivated I decided to finish up this chapter early and post it. Let me know what you think! :)

She meant what she said, even if she hadn't meant to say it. The man was an arrogant asshole. He drove like a bat out of hell, flying through the night towards their destination, all the while casually reclining in his bucket seat while reaching over to lazily trace his thumb on her knee.

She watched the stars flicker in the night sky overhead while he drove, hating the butterflies his casual touch was causing to flutter in her stomach. God, he must think she is a complete idiot. He honestly thinks she has no idea that this new seduction thing is just a tactic to get her to open up and spill her guts.

She smirked a little. She knew he wasn't totally unaffected by her, that it wasn't just an act. She'd seen the way his pants bulged as he stroked her legs and her arms while un-cuffing her. He felt it too, no matter how he wanted to pretend like he was in control.

That was his weakness. He had some antiquated notion that she would swoon at his feet and secrets would pour out of her heart with her undying love for him. Like she would just come undone in his arms and devote her soul.

"We're here, doll," he rumbled as he turned down a gravel road and drove up to a little cabin.

It was pitch black when she climbed out of the car and followed him up the wooden steps, waiting as he unlocked the door. She couldn't see a thing and could just make-out the woods surrounding the cabin on all sides. She followed him in as he swung the door wide and flipped on the only lamp in the room.

It was a small hunting cabin, all wooden with just one main room and a small bathroom off to the right. To the left was a utility kitchen complete with fridge and a small stove and oven, and directly in front against the back corner of the wall was a full-sized bed. There was no TV or really any electronics, a small fireplace on the wall next to the front door, and she realized with a sinking feeling that unless he did something stupid it was going to be a challenge to escape through the only door.

He absentmindedly tossed the car keys onto the counter and strode off towards the bathroom. "Make yourself comfortable, doll."

She smirked. Arrogant asshole, indeed. She quickly scanned the room and could not believe her luck. There was even a fire poker she could potentially use to knock him out. This might just actually work.

He swept back into the room and kicked his boots off before stalking into the kitchen. "Hungry?" He called over his shoulder as he started to rummage through the fridge.

"Hmm," she hummed as she took a seat on the stool next to the kitchen counter. He was now opening and slamming the few cabinets around the stove before grunting in frustration.

He ran his metal hand through his hair before looking over at her sheepishly. "Guess I should have thought this one through a little more and brought some food?"

Her traitorous heart gave a little flutter at the annoyingly adorable expression on his face as he gazed up at her under thick black lashes. She huffed before waving him away and shooing him out of the kitchen. She pointed at the fireplace and he turned and shot her a grin before starting to build the fire while she searched through the cabinets.

Pulling out a big can of baked beans, her eyes widened and she couldn't believe her luck. There in the back of the little cupboard was a tiny pill bottle with one little tablet left. Sleeping pills.

She smiled to herself as she pulled out the bottle and tucked the pill into her pocket, glancing over to see he still had his back towards her as he worked on the fire. This was going to be perfect, indeed.

She opened the can and dumped it into a little bot, lighting the burner on the stove to start to heat the beans. Opening the fridge, she found two bottles of water and pulled them out, one for each. She slipped her hand into her pocket and started to crush the pill as best she could between her fingers, stirring the beans as they started to bubble.

Now's the hard part. Slip the pill into his drink, or his bowl? The drink would probably digest faster, but she ran the risk that he would taste it, or worse, switch their bottles.

She sighed, pulling out two bowls and dishing up the beans. Bowl it is.

She turned to face him while she looked for spoons, and as she dropped his in his bowl she sprinkled the handful of crushed sleeping pill from her pocket, stirring as she delivered him his bowl and a bottle of water.

The grateful smile he sent her, so completely unguarded, as he accepted his bowl and dug in almost made her regret it. Almost.

She ate her beans slowly, watching him carefully over the end of his bowl and contemplating how long it would take to knock him out. She figured as a super soldier he probably had a faster metabolism, which would mean it would not only take affect quicker, but it would work through his system faster too. As he scooped the rest of the bowl into his mouth and walked to rinse it in the sink, she tried to calm her breathing. Only a matter of time.

She finished her beans and joined him at the sink, washing hers while he started to dry the dishes and put them back. She felt his warm hand slip over her back, and before she could blink he was whirling her around the room to dance in front of the fire.

"What are you doing?" She squealed, forgetting once again that she was absolutely not speaking to him.

The lazy smile he shot her sent a delicious shiver all the way down to curl his toes. Her heart started to flutter from the feel of his warm hand on her back, and she wrapped her fingers around the cool metal of his left hand as she tried to calm her nerves. The broad shoulder bunching and shifting under her other hand as he twirled her around certainly didn't help.

All of a sudden, an enormous yawn escaped him as his eyes hazed over while he gazed down at her.

"So sssleepy," he slurred, voice low and full of gravel while he spun her towards the bed.

She feigned a yawn and nodded, her heart pounding when he collapsed back on the bed and pulled her on top of him. "We sleep?" He asked softly as his eyes drifted shut.

"Sure, James. We'll sleep," she whispered softly, thinking that despite the death she saw lurking under his skin, he was actually pretty cute when he had his guard down.

"Say it again, doll." She could just barely hear him, and he'd had his eyes shut for awhile now.

"Say what?"

"My name."

She didn't have to fake the little smile she sent him as his arms fell away from her and he started to snore. "Goodnight, James."

She ignored the butterflies the dreamy smile on his face sent coursing through her, and gently hopped up and raced for the keys on the counter, turning at the door to spare one last glance for the man who made her more confused than she'd ever been in her entire life. As she blew him a kiss, she whisked open the door and shut it softly before racing towards the car, starting the engine and speeding back down the gravel into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Good Morning! I was on a roll last night, and by the time I quit writing it would have been the world's longest chapter. So, I broke it up into 3! I debated holding them to release over a few days but decided, why wait. So, here you go! Hope you enjoy! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks to all who are reading!**

A few hours later Ella pulled off onto a winding gravel road just barely peaking out from the brush. She prayed to find another empty cabin where she could rest for a few hours before continuing on. After another five minutes down the path, which by now had turned into just plain dirt, she finely saw the outline of another little lodge in the distance, surrounded by a big open field.

Ella cut the engine and stepped out of the car. She could hear a few birds but beyond that the night was silent. There were no lights on in the lodge, and she could see none on the road behind her in the distance. She slowly walked up to the lodge, footsteps heavier than she cared to admit from the overwhelming exhaustion setting in.

She turned the knob, annoyingly finding it locked. As she started to search around for where someone may have hidden a key, she heard a loud snap in the woods at a distance.

Ella froze, back rigid as her eyes peered out into the darkness, darting frantically as she listened harder than she ever had in her life, trying to determine what disrupted the quiet. Another snap had her running in the opposite direction, leaping off the deck to sprint into the woods to the left while keeping the field to her right. She ran as hard as she could, until suddenly a large metal hand snaked out around her waist, gripping tight while a fleshy one clamped down over her mouth, silencing her scream.

She struggled for a second before realizing the futility and deciding to conserve her energy. She sagged in his arms, defeated. He had found her.

He spun her around to face him, gripping her shoulders. His eyes glinted in the moonlight as he tilted his head, the hint of a smile playing across his features. "You drugged me," he said without anger, a hint of amusement coloring his voice. He was impressed, she could tell.

She smirked wryly. "Can you blame me?"

The smile took hold and a grin spread while he shook his head. "Suppose not, doll. But we did dance together. That used to mean something not so long ago." His smile dipped suddenly into a severe frown. "You shouldn't have done that though. Now I have to take you back."

Fear shot down to coil in her belly, and she swallowed the lump that had leapt into her throat. She shook her head at him, trying to force it away and remain calm. "No, you don't." She tried to keep it out of her voice, tried to remain indifferent, but she knew he saw it. She was afraid.

His mouth pressed into a hard line. "Tell me where Stark is." His voice was flat, emotionless.

She stared at him, picturing the cement blocks from her cell not so long ago and attempting to count them, her mind wandering away.

He shook her hard, the motion jerking her head like a ragdoll as his fingers squeezed tight enough to bruise on her upper arms. "Tell me where Stark is."

She whipped her head forward, cracking the top into the bottom of his jaw hard enough she heard his teeth smack. "Why you little-" his hand was suddenly locked around her throat, barely restrained from what thin level of control he held onto.

She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything a noise pierced the darkness, the thudding of a deep rumble sending waves of air rushing past her, blowing her hair into his face.

In an instance, the hand was gone and he was shoving her behind him roughly, one long metal finger pressed against her lips as he pointed towards the field. Three black helicopters landed behind the lodge, heavily armed people in black suits climbing out to circle the lodge while several black cars with tinted windows pulled up the dirt road and more filed out.

A man she didn't recognize and one of the ones who had interrogated her earlier climbed out of the back of the last car, walking slowly up the drive and observing the cabin. Others swarmed into the lodge, quickly clearing the building before coming back out to wait in the grass.

The one she didn't recognize tilted his head and turned to survey the woods to the left and right. "Her tracker said she was here," he said softly. "Search the woods." His voice was cold, and another wave of fear swept through her.

Suddenly, she could feel hands groping her roughly before settling on her arm. His metal finger pushed in hard as he cursed before raising his other hand to cover her mouth tightly. "This is gonna hurt doll," he whispered.

It was all the warning she had before his hand was digging into her flesh, metal slicing her skin as he thrust his fingers in and pulled out a little chip blinking green lights.

She fought back the screams of pain and tried to remain upright as she clung to the hand covering her mouth, tears streaming down her face. He squeezed the chip between his fingers, crushing it as the lights shut off.

"You shouldn't have done that, Soldier." A voice rang out behind him, from the man she hadn't recognized who was clearly in charge.

And suddenly, he was shouting out the strangest series of words she'd ever heard, voice echoing in the darkness.

He whipped around to face her, eyes wide as he gripped her upper arms again, hard. "You need to go now. I left the bike a half mile behind you through the woods. Run straight there, hop on the bike and ride as far as you can until you can switch vehicles." His voice was tight with fear, and she saw panic rising in his eyes. "Find Tony, he can protect you."

"Protect me from what?" She whispered, terrified at the fear she saw in his face as it started to strain.

"GO!" He shoved her hard as he suddenly knelt down on the floor while the words continued in the distance.

Heart in the pit of her stomach, Ella turned on her heel and ran, sprinting off into the darkness as a blood-curling scream rippled through the woods.

She ran as fast as her feet could carry her, tree limbs scratching her arms and face as she flew into the night in the direction of the bike. She was panting hard, her chest squeezed painfully tight as she tried to gasp in air, forcing her body to keep moving forward as she saw the bike parked in the distance. One-hundred yards, seventy-five, fifty… She was running like her life depended on it, faster than she'd ever moved in her entire life as her eyes clung to the bike like a raft in the ocean.

It wasn't enough.

When she only had twenty yards to go, for the second time that night a metal hand clamped down on her as his body flew into her from behind, tackling her to the ground. Her face was crushed into the dirt as he roughly lifted her by her arm, dragging her across the ground back through the woods.

"Stop, please! Please!" She struggled against him, twisting and turning, but he didn't even spare a glance in her direction. Her body bounced and scraped along the ground as he dragged her, metal digging into her skin.

The broke through the woods, and he drug her right up to that man who had called out the words before, depositing her at his feet.

"Very good," he said softly, before turning his head to look at her. "Put her in the trunk."

She started to yell as he fisted his hand in her hair and picked up her arm once again, forcing her towards the back of the car and throwing her hard into the open trunk. "James, please!"

The face that turned towards her sent a chill straight into her bones. His eyes were yard, unyielding, not a hint of warmth or even life flickering in them. His face was immovable, a mask without emotion. James was long gone. She was face to face with the Winter Soldier.

The trunk slammed shut in her face as the car jolted into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

She awoke bound to a chair in her old cell, blood dripping down her arm from where he'd ripped the chip out. She lifted her head, scanning the room before squeezing her eyes shut.

She couldn't open them again. She was too afraid.

An odd tightness squeezed her chest that had nothing to do with fear as she thought back on all that had happened through the night, her heart aching at the coldness in his eyes when he'd forced her into the truck.

She swallowed the bile rising in her throat. She wouldn't stand a chance if he came in to torture her, she knew that. Not when he was full-blown Winter Soldier.

She felt tears sting her eyes and she shut them tighter, trying to hold them in. She hurt for him. She'd gotten a glimpse of the man within while they were in that cabin, and even when they were in the woods. He was hard, unyielding, deadly. She knew that, she wasn't stupid. But he was so much more than that. There were glimpses of humor, a slight softening of those rough edges, a gentleness that crept in when he allowed it.

And fear. He knew the monster he became, and he was worried. He was worried about her, about what he would do to her when it overtook him, when the Soldier was summoned and the man ceded control.

Gunfire popped somewhere in the compound, echoing down the corridors and floating to her ears. She forced her eyes back open and her heart to calm as she listened carefully. She could hear screams and shouts in the distance, walls busting and doors being slammed. There was a hell of a fight going on somewhere.

When the door to her cell burst open, the last face she expected to see was the one in front of her. It was none other than Tony fucking Stark, Iron Man suit and all as he rushed in to untie her and scoop her into his arms.

"No time to thank me, gotta run!"

"I wasn't planning to-"

"So glad you've forgiven me too. Now, hold tight!"

Her heart dropped into her stomach as he suddenly flew out of the room, down the hallway and up through several holes in the ceiling and into the sky. She clung to the neck of his suit as he flew a ways away and dropped next to a small jet.

"Everyone here?"

She climbed out of his arms and turned to look around. And thought she must have died because it was fucking impossible. She was face to face with the Avengers.

Thor was holding his hammer, golden light radiating around him. The Black Widow was crossing her arms and tilting her face to study her. And Captain fucking America, suit, shield and all, was smiling widely. "The rest took Bucky back in the first jet, Stark. We were waiting on you to head out."

A series of explosions rocked the ground behind her, and she turned to see fire and smoke billow into the air from the Hydra compound behind her.

"Well then, let's go!"

She was ushered onto the jet, head spinning at how much had happened in the past forty-eight hours. Tony plopped down cavalierly next to her. "What, no jetting off in your super suit? Going to fly home like the rest of us?" She snarled at him, not bothering to hide her disdain for him.

Natasha snorted and smirked with amusement. "Now now, is that attitude any way to thank your hero?" His voice was smooth, so smooth, and it grated on her ears and rubbed raw at her nerves.

Her lip curled up with disgust. "If I had known anything about where you were and I thought Pepper wasn't with you, I would have spilled my guts in a second, you know that?"

He nodded, smiling broadly. "Missed you too, Ella baby."

She rolled her eyes before turning to look out the window. She fucking hated Tony fucking Stark.

After a tearful reunion with Pepper and a long hot shower, Ella found herself wandering around Stark Tower. She'd been assigned a room on the same floor as Steve, who told her that if she called him Captain America or Mr. America one more time he wouldn't be friends with her anymore, and he'd asked her to join them on the basement floor when she was ready.

Wandering into the elevator, she spun around looking for the buttons. "What the hell? How do I get this thing to move?"

A voice came into the elevator, and her heart raced as she spun around another time to confirm she was alone. "You only have to ask, Ms. Potts."

"Who the hell is that?"

"My name is J.A.R.V.I.S. I am Mr. Stark's AI. I am always around if you need me, you need only ask. What may I help you with, Ms. Potts?"

She was sure the dumbfounded look on her face was comical, but she just couldn't clear her bewilderment. "Um, basement floor please, Jarvis," she mumbled.

"Certainly, Ms. Potts," and she felt the elevator glide to life and drop down to the basement floor.

As the door opened she turned around and peaked her head back in. "Thanks, Jarvis."

His voice answered from directly above her as she started to walk down the hallway. "It is my pleasure, Ms. Potts."

She came to a room at the end where Tony, Steve, Natasha, and a man she recognized as Dr. Bruce Banner were gathered, staring through one-way glass.

She cleared her throat as she entered the room, and stuck out her hand as she introduced herself to the Hulk himself. "Pleasure to meet you, ma'am," he said softly as he gently shook her hand. She smiled before turning to see what they were watching. She felt her blood run cold and her stomach started to roll.

James Buchanan Barnes was trapped in a 12x12 glass block, eyes blazing as he paced like a lion in a cage. His face was bloodied and bruised, black shadows under his eyes, and his human arm as gashed in several places. His fist was battered as well, and fresh blood dripped onto the glass below as he continued to stalk around his cubed cell.

"Get him out of there," she snarled, turning to glare harshly at Tony.

He raised an eyebrow in amusement as the others turned to look at her, faces a mixture of bewilderment and concern.

"Stockholm syndrome, much?" Tony asked wryly.

"Let him out," she roared, loud enough to see his head pop up at the sound of her voice behind the glass.

"Sure, Ella. Now that you've asked so nicely, I will happily release the Winter Soldier so that he may pillage and plunder the world, leaving a nice little trail of death in his wake. But only because you asked nicely." He was shaking his head and laughing as he snarked at her.

She turned back to look at him through the glass. He was still the Soldier? "How do you turn it off?" She mused, not meaning to speak out loud.

A throat cleared next to her as Dr. Banner stepped up beside her. "Well, I've been working on that, and I have a theory."

She turned to watch him as he carefully kept his face trained on the glass. "We know that once he's- summoned- he has to complete his assignment. Well, obviously we can't have him killing any of us, so we can't just let that happen."

She nodded slowly, a sinking feeling in her stomach telling her she wasn't going to like what was next. "So…"

He sighed, turning to face her. "So, I've been running some tests, and I think if we anchor him to the present then we can help him stay in control and keep the Soldier inside."

She turned to look at the faces closely watching her reaction, noting the anger in Steve's. "I don't think I follow."

Bruce cleared his throat, trying again. "We need to tether him to the present, give him something to connect with and hold onto. Something that is bound to him and him alone, something that grounds him."

"Like a security blanket?" She asked in confusion.

He smiled a bit. "Yeah, kind of. I've developed a serum that we would inject. But we can only tether him once, so we have to make sure it is to the right partner."

Her eyes clouded and she started to look between them. "You mean you want to tether him to a _person?!"_

He grinned sheepishly. "Not just any person, Ella. We want to tether him to you."


	6. Chapter 6

The bark of laughter that burst out of her clearly surprised all of them, and they each took a slight step back as it rolled out of her. The wanted to tether her, whatever the hell that meant. To the Winter fucking Soldier.

"For how long?" Tears rolled down her face as she continued to giggle, unable to calm as all of the emotions from the past few days bubbled and rolled within her.

"Forever," Bruce said simply.

That shut her up quick, and her mouth snapped shut as her laughter died instantly. "You're joking, right. This is all a big joke?!"

Steve glared at her before turning back to the glass. "You should tether him to me, I told you all. Look at her, she's not strong enough for this and she doesn't know anything about him."

It was her turn to glare before she turned back to Bruce. "What exactly do you mean, you need to tether him to me?"

He sighed before turning to Tony. "Perhaps you should explain?"

For the first time since she'd met him, Tony's voice was totally serious. It was unnerving, and the gravity of the situation rested on her shoulders. "It means that, for all intents and purposes, you two would become an invincible super-couple who could basically live forever."

She snorted and coughed out a choked "What?"

Bruce sighed, taking over. "I would inject each of you with the serum. It would create a link, an undeniable bond that we don't totally understand the magnitude of. You'd be bound together though, and if one of you was physically in pain it would manifest itself in the other one, a physical and emotional tether. You'd likely be able to communicate telepathically over time, if your bond developed stronger. You wouldn't be able to stay away from each other for more than a few days at a time without feeling an overwhelming sense of loss. You would likely not feel safe or comfortable unless you were in the same room. And if one of you died, the other would die soon after from the shear loss. You wouldn't necessarily live forever, but because of Bucky's super soldier status his life force would likely transfer into you as we injected the serum."

Her mouth gaped like a fish, lips opening and shutting just as rapidly as she struggled for words before one large question loomed over her. "Why me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Because, for whatever reason, it seems you two already have a strong bond." Steve sounded pissed as hell.

She looked at them all in turn once again, and the sincerity and hope in their eyes was overwhelming. "What makes you say that?"

Natasha nodded towards the glass cube. "Why don't you go in and see for yourself?"

She turned to face his cell once again, before nodding resolutely. Her heart in her throat, she stepped towards the door and entered the room, walking to face the glass cube.

He had stopped pacing as soon as she entered, and stood to rest at the front of the block, head bowed. She heard someone else come in, and as she turned to look at Steve over her shoulder she heard a low growl come from inside the cube.

His head was up, eyes angrily blazing at Steve, fists balled and shoulders tight.

Steve smiled a bit at him. "Hey, Bucky," he said brightly.

The smashing of the fist into the glass scared her so hard she leapt back, and the roar that rolled up from his core sent shivers racing down her spine. He smashed his fist into the glass once again, hard enough to crack a knuckle, and she watched fresh blood ooze down the glass in front of her.

"Stop!" She didn't know she was yelling until his head whipped over to her, eyes bright as the stared into hers.

Slowly, he lowered his fist from the glass, resting his arms tightly at his sides, eyes never leaving hers.

Steve took a step towards her, and as his arm reached out to touch hers the growling resumed and Bucky openly snarled at him, powerful hands flexing, metal and flesh. Ella held her hand up towards Steve, stopping him in his tracks, eyes never leaving Bucky's as she fought to calm her heart.

"He should be bonded to me!" Steve growled, anger radiating off of him in waves.

She turned her head towards him suddenly. "Have you asked him?"

That brought him up short, and the surprise cut through the anger quickly. "What?"

She took a deep breath before turning back to the man before her in the glass cell. "I said, have you asked him?" Her voice was soft, gentle and soothing, trying not to alarm him further.

Steve scoffed next to her. "No, of course not."

She tilted her head. "Well, ask."

Tony's voice cut in from the ceiling. "You can't just talk to him, Ella. He's the Winter Soldier."

She shrugged casually before taking a step closer to the glass. Her mind raced as he stepped closer as well, and she tilted her head, trying to keep her posture calm and relaxed. She debated what to call him a few seconds longer, before settling on calling him who he was in that moment.

"Soldier?" She called softly, voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes burned into hers as he nodded, once.

"Buck-" The animosity in Bucky's gaze as it slid over to Steve's shut him up before he could finish.

"Soldier?" She called again, her face soft as his head turned back towards her, eyes sharpened and anger receding.

"If you were stuck with someone for the rest of your life, would you rather it be me, or him?" Her voice was quiet, calm, no hint of preference or emotion present.

He turned his head between them before settling his gaze firmly on her. She nodded once, smiling a bit. "Okay, Soldier. Okay."

She brought her right hand up to gently touch the glass in front of her, palm flat and resting on the surface. His large metal hand raised up in response, flattening out to mirror hers on the other side of the glass. "Okay," she whispered again, before turning to walk out of the room.

The serum burned like fire through her veins, licking into her core and blinding her with the pain. She struggled against the restraints and screamed, until blackness overtook her.

A few hours later, she cracked her eyes open and was met with several very concerned Avengers. "How is he?" She croaked out, throat dry from the screams and the pain.

Natasha untied her and handed her a cold glass of water, which she downed instantly. "Not sure yet. We've all been waiting for you. Bruce thinks it would be best if you were the first person he saw."

She nodded, shutting her eyes against a fresh wave of pain. "She's up," she said suddenly, a stabbing feeling crippling and curling her hand.

Concern laced her voice as Natasha watched her cradle her hand. "How can you tell?"

She swallowed before carefully standing. "I can feel the pain in his hand where he's punching the glass. And I can feel his fear."

She nodded before stepping out of the way. As Ella walked towards the door, Steve caught her arm quickly. "Just… Just take care of him, okay?"

Ella nodded firmly before bringing her other hand up to squeeze the one on her arm. She swallowed down a wave of tears. She didn't know what the hell was happening and how she ended up here, but here she was, tethered to a super-soldier serial killer for the rest of her freaking life. "Always."

The sincerity and depth of emotion in her voice surprised even her, and before she could think to hard on it she turned and entered the room where he was kept once more.

He was curled up on the floor, but when she entered he had risen to his feet and moved to stand in front of the glass. When she raised her eyes to his, she saw the fear, confusion, and pain coursing through him. He was here. The Soldier was gone for now.

"James?" She called softly as she moved to stand in front of the glass.

His eyes cleared a bit of the fog as he watched her, and he swallowed hard as she raised her hand up to the glass. He flattened his metal one in response, meeting hers.

"What's wrong with me, Ella?" His deep voice broke as his eyes bored into hers.

She smiled a bit. "You remember me?"

His face softened as his eyes roamed over her face. "Of course. You were running away again."

She nodded. "That's right, James. Is that the last thing you remember?"

He swallowed once again and hesitated. "I hunted you down and took you back. I didn't want to, you have to believe me." His voice broke, and for the first time Ella thought he looked like a lost little boy, trapped in a glass bubble he had no way of getting out of.

She stroked her fingers over the glass. "I know James, I know. You were the one who told me to run. It wasn't your fault." Her voice was soft, soothing, keeping his fear and loathing at bay.

"I can hear your heartbeat." His voice was timid, confused.

She smiled again. "I can hear yours too, James. But you need to stop punching the glass. It hurts."

He smiled wryly. "I know."

She shook her head, biting her lip as she debated how to tell him. "No, James. I mean it hurts me too."

She watched the confusion dance across his face as he tilted his head. His eyes shot back to the glass wall before her suddenly, before coming back to rest on her face. "What did they do?" He was afraid again, eyes wide as he started to panic.

"Shh, James. Breathe deep. It is going to be okay."

He shook his head rapidly as he forced himself to breathe, one breath, two, three. "What did they do?"

She sighed before turning back to look at the glass. "Let him out, or let me in."

The door to the glass clicked open, and he looked questioningly at her as he slowly walked out of the cube and into the room with her.

"Would you prefer I call you James, or Bucky?"

He scowled deeply at that as he strode up to stand barely a foot away from her. "I don't know who that man is anymore."

She nodded once in understanding before holding her hand out to his. "Very well then. It's nice to meet you, James."

He took her hand into his own, warm fingers holding it tightly as he gave it a slight shake. "It's nice to meet you, Ella." His voice was deliciously warm, and the feel of his rough strong hand against hers sent shivers to her toes.

She smiled at him again as she pulled her hand away, watching him carefully. "What did they do?" He asked again, voice stronger and more sure this time.

She bit her lip and tilted her head before sighing. "They couldn't get the Soldier to give up his quest. So, they worked around it, came up with another solution."

He nodded slowly, eyes sharp as he watched her hesitantly. "And?"

She exhaled a puff of air before bringing her hands to hold out before her, palms up towards the ceiling. He brought both hands, one flesh, one metal, down to rest gently on top of hers and clasp her fingers. "And so, they decided to give you a lifeline, something to call you back from the darkness, something for you to hold on to when you felt you were losing control."

His eyes were wary now as he gently held her hands, suspicion growing, and she knew he knew the answer before he asked the question. "What's the lifeline?"

She smiled shyly as she swallowed, eyes turning down to their clasped hands before back up to his face. "Me," she breathed.


	7. Chapter 7

She felt the white-hot rage pulse through her and squeezed his hands tightly, forcing his gaze down to hers. His chest was heaving with barely restrained fury while his eyes blazed, burning straight into her heart.

She smiled at him. She'd never experienced anger or rage so strong in her entire life. She knew the Soldier was in there, fueling the flames, begging to be released. And yet, here he was, holding her fingers in a vice as he worked to slow his breathing, hanging on. It was working. The bond worked.

She held on to his hands and stared into his eyes as he fought to push it all back in, lock it all up for another day. She watched the steel recede and the blue brighten up as he exhaled a long, slow breath, and she watched his surprise as he realized it too. He was in control. He'd fought the Soldier and won this time, the first time he could ever remember that happening.

Her thumb stroking over the back of his hand brought him back, and his eyes were wide as he looked down at her again. Her smile widened, and he found himself smiling shy little smile right back at her.

She tilted her head and bit her lip. He was quickly realizing she did that when she wasn't quite sure how to tell him something without pissing him off. "Spit it out," he said gruffly, gently squeezing the two small hands he still held in his.

She nodded and sighed. "What exactly angered you? Were you upset you were tethered to me and not… not someone else? Or were you-"

He cut her off with a quick jerk of his head. "No, no if it was going to be anyone I'm glad it was you. I couldn't do that to Steve. He… I just… I couldn't do it."

She smiled softly and nodded, squeezing his hands again as she prodded. "But?"

His eyes met hers, and the sadness she saw there brought a pain to her chest and tears to prick the back of her eyes. "I'm upset I was tethered to someone at all. I'm pissed that was the solution. Your life is ruined! Your stuck with me for fucking ever! You've barely spent a few hours with me before this, and it was when I was fucking choking you or fucking interrogating you! You don't know me at all, and now you're stuck with me for the rest of your fucking life!" He was screaming by the end, breath hot on her face as he shouted and raged, hands holding hers tight enough to bruise as he let it all boil over, saying what he wanted, keeping in what was too afraid to contemplate just yet.

She let him yell, let him rail and squeeze and hold her tight as it bubbled out of him, and she fought to keep the tears out of her eyes when he finished with a huff. He wouldn't understand if he saw her cry, he'd think it was because of him, because of something he did. He wouldn't understand that he heart was breaking and her eyes were watering because he was so damn broken he thought it was a death sentence to be "stuck with him" for the rest of her life, like she had so many other fantastic options and being with him was ruining it all, ruining everything. He didn't think he was good enough to lick the dirt off her shoes, it was written all over his face. And in that moment, all she wanted to do was pull him close and cry, weep for the years he'd lost, weep for the memories that were long gone, weep for the anger and fear and anguish he lived with every day of his life.

But she couldn't. She couldn't let herself feel that, because he'd feel it too, and he'd resent her for pity or sadness or tears, she knew it. So instead, she stood still and serene and let him scream, let him yell and carry on. And when he finished, instead of shedding the tears fighting for release, she squeezed his hands, calling him back, and smiled.

"James," she said sternly, dropping her smile to gaze seriously into those steely blue eyes. He tried to look away, but she jerked his hands forward, forcing him to keep his eyes on hers.

"James. I had a choice. I could have said no, could have refused, could have walked out that door and never thought twice about leaving you behind. No one forced me to do this. There was no gun to my head, no threat, no fear."

"Then why?" His voice was so small, so unsure, and it made her heart melt all over again.

She sighed heavily before answering him. "Honestly," she smiled ruefully, "I can't really tell you. It was just, just something I felt like I needed to do. Bruce explained it all, and beyond being kind of overwhelmed, it never really occurred to me to say no. And when I came in here with Steve, to ask the Soldier who he wanted, he picked me. I looked in the face of the Winter Soldier, and, for whatever reason, he looked back. He actually _looked_ back."

He watched her carefully, head tilted as he hung on to every word. He nodded in acknowledgement. She knew he'd felt it too.

"How long were you awake, before you first came into my cell? How long since the last time they'd wiped you?"

He frowned and pursed his lips as he thought back. "An hour, maybe too."

Her jaw dropped as he shrugged. "So, for all intents and purposes, you have a handful of hours of memories, and that's about it? And they were all centered around me?"

He shrugged again and nodded, confused once again as she started to smile. "No wonder the Soldier picked me, he didn't know anyone else anyways."

He actually chuckled at that, and the warmth in his eyes sending shivers of excitement dancing across her skin. "I guess so."

She pursed her lips and smiled wryly at him before swallowing. "Well, James. You're safe now, and somewhat free," she nodded towards the one-way mirror where she knew the team was watching closely. "I doubt they'll let you out of the building for awhile, but no one is going to wipe you or torture you or force you to do things anymore. So… what do you want to do?"

His eyes were wide as he looked around the room before settling back on her. "I have no idea." He turned to look over his shoulder towards the door. "How about actually meet 'the team'?"

She flashed a smile at him as she dropped his metal hand to hold his flesh one firmly in hers, pulling him along as she brought her other hand up to rest on his strong forearm. "I think that's a great place to start."

There were so many wires hooked up to him he felt more machine than man in that moment. Images were flashing in front of him, and he was calling out the name of the object before another took its place.

"And this one?" Dr. Banner's voice floated around him while the picture of a beach ball flashed on the screen.

"Beach ball. Are we fucking finished yet?" He growled.

Bruce just chuckled, clicking to advance to the next image. He swallowed hard. It was a black lace bra and thong set.

"Oops! Tony! Were you messing with my flash cards again?!" James heard Bruce yelling down the hall while he quickly shut off the screen. He couldn't get the image of the lingerie set out of his mind, and found himself wondering what Ella would look like in it, what Ella would wear under those tight jeans and blouses she was always wearing. Skinny jeans. That's what she'd called them. He was positive they were put on this earth to torture men in their dreams.

Suddenly wires were being pulled off, and he realized Bruce must have been speaking to him, hearing him say "well?" once again. He shook his head, clearing the thoughts of Ella before lifting to look over at Bruce. "What was that again?"

He sighed, unplugging the last few electrodes. "Did the cards spark anything today? Any memories at all?"

He shook his head frowning. "No. Still nothing."

Bruce clapped him on the shoulder as he stood up and turned to pack up his equipment. "Don't get discouraged, things may or may not come back, and we have no idea how long it could take. You're doing a great job."

He nodded back as he headed out the door, making his way to the elevator and pushing the button to his floor.

Well, his and _Ella's_ floor. Bruce thought that Ella should be close by at all times, in case nightmares triggered a Soldier episode. He'd smirked when Bruce suggested they share a room and he watched as Ella shifted uncomfortably, blushing from the tips of her ears down to the tops of her breasts. His eyes had lingered, wondering how far down the blush went, until Steve interrupted that they could just share a suite with their own little kitchen and common room, and have separate bedrooms connected by their own bathroom.

He'd had to stop himself from practically growling, and had to calm his rage when he saw Ella glance over at him with confusion before agreeing that that would probably be a good idea. She'd felt his anger, and wasn't sure what exactly it was directed at.

He wondered about her, about this bond they had. She could feel it when his temper flared, and yesterday he found she could feel it when he'd stumbled and Tony had landed a particularly forceful punch when they'd been sparring in the training center. He'd come back to their suite to see her massaging her jaw and popping a few aspirin, eyes narrowing at him with annoyance. She'd mumbled about how super soldiers should be able to dodge tin cans, and he'd roared with laughter. Tin cans. He was saving that one for the next time Tony made some comment about him.

He'd been in Stark Tower for just under two months, and was just starting to feel like maybe he really could do this, this whole good guy thing. Nat and Clint, who he'd met the second day, treated him like he was anybody else, inviting him for trainings and card games and movie nights. Tony was the same asshole to him as he was to everyone else. Bruce was incredibly understanding and helpful, which was not surprising given his own monster he fought to control. And Ella? Ella was… There weren't really words for it, he'd decided. Ella was everything. She was the source of his sense of control, his strength when he was weak, his rock when the world felt like it was crumbling to pieces around him. She kept him together, kept him going, kept him fighting and hanging on. All with a sweet smile and a tender hand. And an occasionally (frequently) sassy mouth.

He smirked at that as he washed up in their shower. The things he wanted to do to that luscious, full, pouty little mouth.


	8. Chapter 8

They were all gathered around the main common room, bottles of alcohol open as they celebrated Tony's birthday. He'd flat out insisted that everyone, including James, join in, and he found himself sitting in a circle with a glass of Scotch laughing and joking with the rest of them. He looked across the room and felt his heart flutter at the sight of Ella with a glass of wine, cheeks tinted pink from the alcohol as she rested her hand on Bruce's arm and laughed loudly at a story her sister was telling about how he'd demolished Tony in some contest they'd had between Iron Man and the Hulk.

She was so fucking beautiful it hurt.

Tony started to shout, startling him away and he watched with amusement as he summoned everyone over to lounge in a circle around the several couches and chairs where he sat now. Ella refilled her glass, and as she picked her way over she scanned for an open seat, eyes suddenly meeting his. Most places were already taken, so with a smirk and a jerk of his head, he motioned for her to come over to him.

She strolled up to him, casually holding her very full glass of wine as she tilted her head. "Yes, James?"

Her voice was sultry and smooth, and he felt his cock twitch at the sound. He patted his thigh with his metal hand. "Have a seat, doll." His smirk widened when he saw the heat flash in her gaze before she primly turned and sat on the arm of his chair, next to where he'd patted his lap. He shrugged, watching her with amusement. "Suit yourself." He brought his metal hand up slowly to rest on the small of her back, thumb grazing the slip of skin showing where her silk top split at the top of her jeans to flow around her. He hummed in delight when he saw the goose bumps raise along her arms in response, and he watched as she shifted in her seat and deliberately kept her face turned away from him and toward the group.

"Well, what are we playing, Tony?" She called across the room, ignoring the delicious feel of the metal fingers teasing across the small of her back.

"How about, Never have I ever?"

She felt James shift beside her in his seat, and she reached down to absentmindedly stroke his knee as she tilted her head. "Care to explain the game?"

Tony's sly smile made her nervous as he explained that they would each take turns saying things they've never done, and if you'd done what someone said you had to take a sip of your drink.

"I'm not so sure that's-" She was going to politely decline, before James jumped in beside her.

"I'm in."

She turned suddenly to look back at him with confusion. He just shrugged, thumb continuing to play on her back. "Maybe it'll spark something. If I can't remember then I'll just take a drink anyways or skip it."

She bit her lip before nodding reluctantly. She had a bad feeling about where this game was going to go.

"I can tell you if you've done it or not, Buck," Steve called across the room.

She felt the muscles under her hand tighten in response, and his thumb had gone still above the waistband of her jeans. She felt anger start to pulse into her, and quickly slid down off the arm chair to sit on his massive thigh, bringing her hand to rest back on his chest. "How about, if you want to ask Steve you can, otherwise you just play along as you want to?"

She turned to look back and saw the gray fade out and the blue brighten once again. He was in control. He nodded once before giving her a tiny smile. He was okay.

She leaned and bumped her shoulder against his chest before turning in his lap to face the group, and she felt him bring his metal hand to rest on her hip. "Who's first?"

"I'll go, I'll go! It's my birthday!" Tony whined from her left. She saw Nat roll her eyes as she called for him to go on then.

"Never have I ever been a super soldier."

She snorted and turned to see James shake his head and roll his eyes as he took a drink. She tilted her head in thought as he gently squeezed her hip. When she turned, she saw a spark in his eyes and nodded for him to continue.

"Never have I ever flown in a tin can," he rumbled with a smirk, and she smiled wide as she heard Tony grumble and take a swig while he complained that his suit wasn't even made from tin and it was high-tech and all that.

"You're turn, Ella," Tony nodded for her to go.

She bit her lip, eyes scanning around the room. "Ummm… I don't know. Never have I ever… been on a cruise."

"Borrringgg," Tony rolled his eyes as he took another swig, and she saw Nat, Clint and Sam take one as well.

They game continued, and as these games always do it got racier and racier as they got tipsier and tipsier.

It was Tony's turn again, and he was looking at her shrewdly as he raised his glass. "Never have I ever kissed a super soldier."

She flushed crimson but raised he eyebrows at him, before turning in surprise to see Nat take a sip and wink over at Steve, who was redder than a tomato. She laughed in surprise, "Seriously?!"

"It was part of a mission," he grumbled, shifting in his seat and keeping his eyes on his glass.

The big metal hand wrapped around her hip squeezed again, and she shifted on his thigh to look over her shoulder at him. "Never have I ever kissed a guy."

She huffed and rolled her eyes, smiling as she took a sip and saw both Nat _and_ Sam take a sip. "What, I was curious?!" He huffed with a smile, and she giggled as she settled back in James' lap.

"Hmm… Never have I ever had a threesome," she said slyly, laughing as Tony shot her a stunned expression and mumbled about how he didn't know how anyone could live without experiencing it. She shrugged with amusement and watched Nat and Clint take sips, before seeing Steve grin widely at James. "Drink up, man."

Her jaw dropped as she turned in her seat to look at James, and he smiled widely as he took a drink. "Wish I could remember that," he teased as she narrowed her eyes and tried to bite back her smile.

Sam looked around before shooting everyone a sly smile. "Never have I ever had sex in a public space."

Ella felt her cheeks heat as she took a sip of wine, giggling when she felt James pinch her hip in surprise. He leaned up behind her, and she felt the hard planes of his chest press into her back as he placed his lips right behind her ear. "Naughty girl," he rumbled deeply, sending shivers down to pool low in her belly in arousal.

She giggled and wiggled in his lap, refusing to turn her head towards him while he leaned back in his chair, metal hand now resting on the upper curve of her ass.

Clint tilted his head and turned to look straight at Nat. "Never have I ever had sex on a plane."

Ella giggled as she saw Nat, Sam, Tony and even Steve take swigs of their drinks, before turning to look at James with eyebrows raised as he tilted his head in question at Steve.

He laughed, smiling wide. "Drink again, Buck." He was raising his glass to his lips when his gaze hardened and he froze, body tighter than a bow, metal hand digging into her hip while his flesh hand tightened around the glass.

"Steve," she called over her shoulder, voice hard in warning. "Stop calling him that."

He just snorted, shaking his head. "No! It's his name! You go around acting like you know him, like you know what he likes and he doesn't, but you don't know anything about him!"

The glass in James' hand shattered, splintering into a thousand tiny pieces as he crushed it in his fist. She turned in his lap suddenly, setting her glass down on the side table before gently taking hold of his scruffy cheeks in her hands. He tried to turn his head away but she held on, leaning down to meet his eyes. "Look at me, James," she whispered softly, bringing his eyes up to hers. "How about we go back to our room and get your hand cleaned up?"

She watched him bite the inside of his lip before turning to look at his hand. Blood was trickling down out of his curled fingers, dripping down to pool on the hardwood floor. He nodded, long hair drifting down to cover his face as she stood up and reached down, taking a hold of his metal hand between both of hers and leading him to the door. "Goodnight, and happy birthday, Tony," she called over her shoulder as they made their way out of the door and down the hall to the elevator.

He kept his balled fist close to his chest as he let her lead them into their room and towards their bathroom. She gently pushed him to sit against the counter while she took hold of his injured hand and cradled it in front of her. She pried his fingers open and gasped at the little slivers of glass poking out of his flesh. "Oh, James," she sighed softly, before turning to pick up a wash cloth and starting to run the faucet.

He shrugged uncomfortably, shifting his broad shoulders. "It doesn't hurt much," he mumbled, voice low.

She smiled wryly as she gently started to pull the wash clothe over his palm, working out slivers of glass. "I know when you're lying, James. I can literally feel glass digging into my own palm."

He snorted, and she felt some of the anger melt out of him as she gently rinsed away the last of the glass. "You don't need stitches, but I want to put some antiseptic on it and wrap it in a bandage for tonight."

He shrugged again, tilting his head to watch her as she pulled things out of a first aid kit she'd gotten from under the counter. "You don't need to do that, it'll be mostly healed by the morning."

She pressed her lips and shot him a playful glare. "Who said I was doing it for you? It makes me feel better."

She was carefully wrapping his hand in the bandage, and his heart squeezed with how gently she treated him, like he was something precious she was afraid of breaking, afraid of losing. He brought his metal hand up to ghost his fingers across her cheek, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "Okay, doll," he said softly.

She tucked in the last of the bandage before once again cradling his hand in both of hers. She traced a finger over the bandages on his palm before slowly bringing his hand up to her face. She felt her heart pound as she leaned and pressed a kiss into the palm of his hand. "Better?" She whispered, tilting her head to look at him.

His eyes were dark as he watched her, and she felt heat roll over her. "Better," he agreed, voice thick and husky.

She bit her lip before dropping his hand and stepping back away from the counter. "Okay then… Goodnight, James," she said softly, turning to go back towards her room.

His metal hand snaked out to wrap around her thin wrist and pull her lightly back towards him. He stood from the counter, towering over her as he raised his bandaged palm up to tenderly cup her face. Her breathing became ragged and her pulse quickened as she watched him with wide eyes while he slowly brought his head down towards hers. Her eyes drifted shut and she turned her head up in response.

After a few seconds, she felt his soft lips press gently against her cheek, before he was pulling away and leaning forward to whisper into her ear, breath fluttering the hair as he breathed. "Goodnight, Ella," he whispered back huskily, before pulling away suddenly and turning on his heal to leave the bathroom and shut the door to his room.

She gripped the counter tightly as she took a few deep breaths and tried to slow her heart. She swallowed hard and chuckled a bit as she saw her hands shake in the mirror.

There were a lot of things Ella regretted in life, plenty of decisions she'd made that she later wished she could take back.

Bonding with James Buchanan Barnes was not one of them.


	9. Chapter 9

**You guys, I am seriously overwhelmed with the support for this story! I really appreciate all of the follows, favorites and comments! They motivated me to roll out two more chapters this morning! :) Let me know what you think, I hope you enjoy!**

 **PS- thanks for sticking with me on Steve. I promise, I had a vision for where his character was going, and I hope you like the shift over the next chapter!**

Ella inhaled the scent of herbs and spices of her Chai tea deeply, trying to calm her nerves. She sat in the little coffee shop three blocks down from Stark Tower, waiting for Steve to meet her.

She snickered a little. They were, quite literally, having a sit down.

After last night, she'd asked Steve to meet her somewhere private so they could get on the same page about how to treat James (or Bucky, depending on whose side you were on). They needed to have a meeting of the minds, so to speak.

Her heart started to race as Steve entered the little shop, baseball cap pulled low and aviators on. He nodded in her direction, and she gave him a little half smile she hoped looked genuine. He got his coffee, black, and slid into the seat across from her, taking off the glasses but keeping on the cap.

"So…" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Um, well, thank you, for meeting me," she said quietly, forcing another smile.

"Well, you're welcome. Thank you, uh, for asking me to…" He forced a smile back.

God, this was awkward.

She sighed, taking a sip of tea for patience. "Listen, I think maybe we got off on the wrong foot here. In all honesty, we've been on the same team all along, we just have different methods here. I mean, we both want him to live a healthy, happy life, right?"

Steve sighed and nodded. "Yes, of course."

She reached across to squeeze Steve's hand gently with her own. "I want that, Steve. I swear to you, I want that for him."

He nodded, squeezing back her hand with his. "I know you do, I believe you. It's just… You don't even know him, so how are you supposed to help? That's what I don't get."

She pursed her lips, tilting her head. "To be fair, Steve, you don't really know the man he is right now, either. And neither does he. I think that's part of the problem. You know who he was, I know who he is a little bit just because of our connection, but no one knows who he wants to be."

Steve swallowed, smiling a bit as he nodded along. She breathed a sigh of relief and took another sip of tea. Maybe this could work.

"So what do we do?" Steve asked with a curious raise of an eyebrow.

She smiled, shaking her head a bit. "I'm not really sure. What do you think?"

He pursed his lips in thought for a moment. "I could tell you about who he was, if you want," he offered.

She bit her lip as a smile spread across her face. "Why not tell him, too?"

He snorted a laugh at that. "Isn't that why we're meeting here in the first place? Hasn't that been the problem?"

She giggled a little, leaning back in her chair. "That's not what I meant. What if you tell him, without really telling him?"

He shook his head. "You lost me, Ella."

She tilted her head, grinning as her eyes lit up with a plan.

A few hours later, Ella and Steve had gathered Tony, Clint, Natasha, and Bruce in the large Avengers common area in Stark Tower.

They stood together in front of them, grinning wide as they gestured to a large whiteboard covered behind them.

"Okay, so we think we have an idea for helping _James_ maybe get some of his memories back, or at least start to make some new ones," Steve began, emphasizing the name James. Ella smiled proudly at him, squeezing his arm before continuing.

"We were thinking. Steve knows Bucky really well, but that person might as well be a stranger to James, and he barely even knows anything about himself now…"

"Right…" Tony rolled his eyes.

"So?" Nat was interested, at least.

"So… Now, this was really Ella's idea," Steve praised, beaming down at her before turning to whip the sheet off of the whiteboard.

"So, we thought we'd make a list. Of everything he used to like, his favorites for anything and everything Steve could remember. And then we'd each add our favorites too, and he could pick some to try, or all if he wanted, and then in the last column he'd fill in what his favorites are now!" She clapped proudly at that, smiling wide as Steve beamed at them.

"What do you think, guys?" He was grinning ear to ear, eyes bright with excitement.

"I think it's a miracle you two have smiled at each other more than yelled," Tony drawled, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"It could even help spark some memories for him," Bruce mused, a small smile as he nodded his agreement. "I'm in. Would we all do all of the activities with him?"

Ella nodded, "Some of them. Some we could do as a group, and we were even thinking some one on one so he could get to know everyone a little better, while they got to know him too."

Nat smiled wide, giving her a thumbs up. "Count me in. But don't put me down for the sex positions I see listed at the bottom. You'll have to help him learn about those on your own," she finished with a wink.

Ella blushed crimson, clearing her throat as she pulled out a bunch of markers. "Alright, who's first? You guys fill it out, and I'll go get him on board."

He couldn't help the smile spreading over his face at her enthusiasm, and she knew it. She could see the reluctance in his eyes, but he'd agreed to participate and she was practically bouncing with excitement. She was babbling about ice cream flavors as she led him down the hall towards the common room so he could look at the list and pick out where he wanted to start, when his hand shot out to hold onto her wrist, turning her gently to look at him.

"Ella, wait a second," he said softly, a frown forming on his brow.

Her face fell, thinking maybe he'd changed his mind. He shot her a smirk, rolling his eyes. "Not backing out, sweetheart, just want to make a bit of a deal."

"A deal." The suspicion in her tone made him snicker and his smirk grew wider.

"Yes, Ella, a deal. I'll do the list, wholeheartedly. But in the meantime, we need to start training." He was serious, she could feel it radiating off of him.

She swallowed and nodded, giving him a little smile. "Alright, James, we can train."

He shook his head, taking a step closer so she had to crane her neck up to keep his gaze. "I mean it, Ella. Serious training. I've been thinking that if you're going to be bound to me then you need to be able to defend yourself."

She started to interrupt, but he brought a hand up to press a gentle finger to her lips. "Not just from me, doll. From the people who will want to kill me, probably for the rest of my life. And they'll want to kill you, too, if it gets out about us, even if they just think we have a normal relationship. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you, Ella," his voice cracked on her name, and he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug while his fear rippled over her, bringing tears to her eyes.

"Okay, James. We can start training first thing tomorrow," she whispered into his chest as he held her tight.

He nodded, pulling back to turn and walk towards the elevator, but her gentle tug as she twined her fingers through his flesh hand and kept up with him brought him to a stop. "James?"

He gave her a little half-smile, eyes warm as his metal hand came up to brush the hair out of her eyes. "Yeah, doll?"

She smiled shyly at him, lashes fluttering. "I don't think I could live with myself, either, if anything happened to you." Her heart raced as the cool metal returned to stroke her cheek, the back of his fingers grazing her cheekbone before sliding down to cup under her chin, forcing her gaze back up to his.

"I know, doll. I can feel you sometimes, too," he winked wolfishly, and her cheeks flushed crimson as she wondered what, _exactly_ , he'd felt.


	10. Chapter 10

She was slamming into the body bag, one tight punch after another while her stomach roiled. They'd had ice cream night last night, much to her initial glee.

This morning was a different story.

"I told you not to finish that pint of Ben and Jerry's, doll," he smirked at her as he held the bag while she fought back another wave of nausea.

"Shut up," she grumbled, sweat pouring down her face as she doubled over onto her knees, trying and failing to keep her breakfast down.

Steve chimed in while James held her hair back as she puked into the bucket. "In fact, I believe we gave you a whole meal plan you could follow, and we told you a thousand times that ice cream is not an acceptable breakfast, especially after you also had it for dinner the previous day."

The sick amusement in Steve's voice made her throw up a middle finger as she threw up the rest of the ice cream, making the boys roll with laughter. Because that's exactly how they were acting this morning. Like boys.

As she sat back on her butt and wrapped her arms around her knees, James handed her a water bottle, lightly running his flesh hand through her hair. "C'mon, doll, drink some water. You need to rehydrate," his voice was soft, the amusement tempered a bit when he saw how pale she was becoming.

"Yeah, yeah. Like you care," she grumbled, grabbing the bottle roughly out of his hand and choking a few sips down.

Steve sighed, shaking his head. "Well, I've got a briefing with Stark in a few, so how about we call it a day?"

They'd been training since nine this morning, and it was almost two by now. She nodded with vigor, making James chuckle all over again. "Yes, please."

He leaned in close to her ear, voice rumbling with amusement and something she couldn't quite place in the haze of nausea. "Now now, doll. No need to beg."

She snorted at that, throwing the bottle at him and reaching her hand out. "Help me back to our room, jackass."

He stood with a smirk, pretending to hold his hands over his heart. "You wound me, doll."

"I'm gonna," she grumbled, wiping the sweat out of her eyes. "I'm gonna if you don't behave."

He smiled, leaning down to scoop her up bridal style as he strode purposefully towards the elevator. "What are you doing?!" She squeaked, wrapping her arms tight around his neck.

"What's it look like? Jarvis, please open the door, I've got my hands full."

"Certainly, sir. Yes, it appears that you do." Jarvis could be a real snark when he wanted, she thought.

"I can walk, you know," she said it quietly, secretly hoping he wouldn't put her down. Actually, part of her was hoping he'd never put her down ever again.

"I know. But you don't want to. I can feel that too, doll," he smiled lazily down at her, all flashing teeth and teasing dimple.

Her heart started to race as she blushed, ducking her head into his shoulder. "Sometimes this bond thing really sucks," she mumbled.

His chest rumbled with amusement as the doors open and he walked into their bathroom, dropping her to sit on the sink as he turned to start the shower for her. While he walked back out to go to his room, he called over his shoulder, never looking back. "I don't know about that. I'm finding it increasingly useful."

She rolled her eyes and smiled wide as she stripped down and jumped into the shower. Who knew he was such a freaking flirt.

A few hours later, after she'd slept off the rest of her ice cream hangover and devoured a bowl of tomato soup, Ella made her way down to the theater Tony had installed for movie nights. The sound of laughter greeted her ears as she walked into the room, strolling over to pick up a bottle of sprite and a bag of peanut butter M&Ms.

"Whose pick is it tonight?" Tony called, gesturing towards the wall-sized screen with the remote.

Steve looked over at the print of the board he'd taped up in the corner. He'd put several in all the common areas, that way if things were tried or they weren't sure what was next, there was a quick reference. After the first fistfight over whether it was Clint's turn or Tony's, it became quickly apparent this was necessary.

"Oh! It's my turn!" Nat smiled devilishly as she walked over to flop down between Bruce and Clint on the middle couch.

Ella heard Nat debate several chick flicks while she scanned the room, frowning when she didn't see James yet. As she started to turn back towards the door, a deep voice rumbled in her ear as a metal hand snaked out in front of her, reaching around to grab a water bottle. "What an interesting outfit you've chosen for this evening."

A wave of lust hit her as she turned, and she realized with a smirk it was his. She raised her eyebrows innocently. "Oh, this old thing?" She did a slow turn, smiling wide as she felt his arousal deepen further. "These are called yoga pants, and this is just a racerback tank. Casual, exercise clothes. I thought they'd be comfortable for the movie. Why… is something wrong?"

Her eyes twinkled up at him and she saw him smile dangerously as he leaned in close. "Mmm. No, nothing at all."

His hum had sent a shiver up her spine, and as he smirked she knew he'd felt it too. She narrowed her eyes, tossing her hips as she walked in front of him to slide into the back left loveseat. Two could play this game. As another wave of lust hit her, she threw a smirk over her shoulder. He was watching her ass.

She sat down in the corner of the loveseat and smiled innocently as he sprawled out on the other side beside her. He pulled her legs up to hang into his lip, and the smirk died on her lips when she saw him spread an enormous microfleece blanket over both of them, covering them completely as the lights went out and the movie came on.

Oh dear. She might be in trouble.

The opening scene of The Notebook came on, and Ella giggled at the collective groans from the male members of their movie night. "Great choice, Nat!" She cheered, giggling as James started to tickle her feet.

"Oh, you think so, do you?" He whispered, eyes dancing over to hers.

She bit back a smile, nodding her head towards the screen. "Watch the movie, James. This is a classic."

An hour in Ella didn't think she'd actually paid any attention to what was on the screen for more than thirty seconds at a time. His eyes had never left the screen, and he'd laughed in all the right places, but his hands… Oh, his hands… They were innocent enough, if you looked over and could see. But the way they were gliding over her legs, stroking her calves, grazing her feet, teasing with strokes that were more of a whisper than a press.

She was flushed, breathing heavy nearly to the point of panting, and she had long since soaked through her underwear. And as much as she tried to hide it, tried to force it out of her mind, she knew he could feel it. He could feel how badly she wanted him.

She wasn't quite sure when it happened, really, this attraction between them. It may have began for him when he'd first entered that room and she'd smirked and licked her lips. For her, she's pretty sure it started when they danced in the cabin, collapsing together as he whispered for her to say his name again while he drifted off to sleep.

But here she was, wetter than she'd ever been in her life, dying a little inside with each casual flick of his fingers against her skin, and he'd barely even touched her. Hell, he hadn't even kissed her yet.

But she wanted him. Wanted him more than she'd ever wanted anyone in her entire life. And, if she was honest with herself, she was pretty sure it was a whole lot more than just wanting to take him to bed. She, Ella Potts, was honest to goodness falling for him.

She snorted with amusement at herself, and then blushed brightly as he turned to look at her like she was deranged. She was laughing while Finn died in the snow on the screen. What a freaking idiot.

But he smiled, rolling his eyes and shaking his head, and she knew he knew she hadn't really watched any of the movie at all.

His metal hand came out from under the blanket, reaching over to brush her wrist before pulling her gently towards him. "Come here, doll," he whispered huskily into her ear, turning her so she was pressed into his side, her head resting on his chest while his metal arm wrapped around her, holding her close by her waist.

She inhaled deeply, the scent of his cologne and just of him filling her senses and making her head spin. "Watch the movie, Ella," he whispered with a chuckle, metal thumb grazing her hip.

So she tried. She really tried to pay attention, to ignore the hard muscles pressing into her side and her cheek, to ignore the metal fingers dancing along her side, to ignore the scent of the man next to her. And as the credits started to roll a little while later, she realized she'd failed miserably.

With a chuckle, he sat up and pulled her with him up to stand, tucking her hand into the crook of his arm as he led her out of the room and towards the elevator. Damn. She hadn't even eaten her M&Ms.

As the doors opened to their room, he led her silently up to her door before turning her to face him in front of it. He had a triumphant smile as he held up a crinkly orange package in front of him. "Thought you might want these?" He said teasingly, eyes taunting as she flushed for like the thousandth time that day.

She snatched the M&Ms out of his hand and held them behind her back. "Why yes, as a matter of fact I do," she said sassily, trying and failing to hold back a smile.

His metal hand came up to stroke her cheek, and his eyes sparkled as he smiled down softly at her. "Goodnight, Ella."

She swallowed down her disappointment and turned away from his touch, turning towards her door to hide her eyes. "Goodnight, James," she said, sounding more hurt than she'd meant to.

The clearing of a throat behind her made her turn back to him, and the look in his eyes sent a fresh wave of desire down to curl her toes. "Aren't you forgetting something, doll?"

She bit her lip, tilting her head in confusion as his hands came up to cup her face. His arousal rolled through her, and she nearly withered on the spot as his lips came down to slowly, oh so slowly, press into hers. He kissed her like he had years to explore her, like he wanted to learn every inch, lips sliding slowly to pull and push and tease until she pulled back panting, head spinning. "I don't know about Bucky, but James wants a kiss goodnight from his girl every night he can get one," he practically growled at her, voice rough like sandpaper as he pressed another kiss to the tip of her nose before releasing her and disappearing into his room. The shiver that rolled through her made her press her eyes shut at the force of it, and on shaky legs she made it into her room to collapse onto her bed.

She smiled like a fool up at her ceiling as she burrowed into the covers and played back his words in her head. His girl.


	11. Chapter 11

**I'm overwhelmed by the support for this story. You guys are amazing! I hope you enjoy, as always please let me know what you think of this chapter!**

 **In case you were curious, the reference at the end is to the song Lost Stars (Adam Levine) from the movie Begin Again, which stares our very own Mark Ruffalo. If you haven't seen it yet, I'd HIGHLY recommend it! It's on Netflix, and I watched it twice this weekend because it was that good, and this song gives me LIFE.**

She tried to pull the baseball cap down lower over her face as she slid into her seat next to Nat. "Are we really sure he's ready for this?" She asked as she passed Nat her beer.

She scoffed, rolling her eyes and leaning over to smile as Bruce sat gingerly next to Ella. "Come on, lighten up a little bit. He's been working so hard, and on his best behavior. He deserves this."

She sighed, biting her lip. "I know, I know. It just makes me anxious, him and Steve are spending one on one time together alone for the first time."

Bruce chuckled beside her. "I'd hardly call this one on one, considering you bribed the ticket office to get us seats within shouting distance, Ella."

She jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow smiling. "What? Aren't I supposed to be close, just in case something happens? Isn't that the point of the bond in the first place?" She raised her eyebrows innocently, but all three knew it was anything but.

After last night's kiss, which was so unbelievable she still hadn't fully processed it, James had burst into the common room in the morning whistling and smiling like he'd won a damn Olympic medal, proud as could be. She'd ducked her head and blush, trying to scoot out of the room, but his metal arm snaked out, and before she could blink she was flush against his chest as he leaned down to press a lingering kiss on her cheek. "Morning, doll," he'd hummed against her skin, before releasing her with a chuckle as she practically ran from the room before she melted into a puddle.

After therapy with Bruce, as he called it, he'd pronounced loudly during training that he was ready for some extracurricular activity. She'd frozen, stunned, and got a big black eye to show for it as Nat landed a roundhouse kick right on her crimson face. "Not with you, doll, I think you're the one whose not ready for that," he'd smirked and winked at her, so damn proud of herself, while she pressed a frozen bag of peas to her face and wished the floor would swallow him whole.

And then, much to her amazement and Steve's glee, he asked whether they could check another thing off his list, and go to a Mets game. He'd grumbled loudly about that one, about how it was a damn shame the Brooklyn Dodgers moved, about how that neighborhood had history and deserved their own team, about how he'd be struck dead before being caught at a Yankees game. So the Mets it was, and here she found herself creeping a section and a few rows away while watching him drink a beer and laugh with Steve, looking for the first time in a while like an average person just enjoying a night out with his friend at a ball game.

It warmed her heart, watching him enjoy himself, and she saw little glimmers of the man he used to be, in the way he'd flirt with the elderly ladies seated nearby, in the way he'd laugh too loud, in the way he'd say something to make Steve cough and blush.

"Do you want the one on the left, or the right?" Nat asked beside her, chomping away on a box of cracker jacks as she gestured with her beer towards the field.

She drug her gaze away and back towards the field, tilting her head and pretending to purse her lips in thought. "Oh, absolutely the right. Look at the ass on that one," Bruce teased beside her, pitching his voice higher.

She giggled, shaking her head. "Neither, I want the one on the pitcher's mound. Do you see that curve? Yum."

Bruce snorted and rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he took a sip of his beer, while Nat hummed appreciatively and mused about whether hip speed correlated to pitching speed.

"Remind me next time to go to boys night instead of girls night," Bruce drawled, finishing the rest of his beer. "And you say men objectify women," he mocked, nudging Ella's shoulder.

"All's fair in asses and baseball, Brucey," Nat teased, leaning over Ella's lap to pat his thigh with a wink.

"Shut it and stand, crazy widow, this is the National Anthem starting," he shot back, rising to stand as they took their baseball caps off to meet him. Ella leaned her head on Nat's shoulder, smiling as she thought about how strange it was to be at a baseball game with two Avengers, supervising two super soldiers as they saw their first game in 70 plus years.

She heard the rumbling of the jets overhead as three combat planes zipped overhead, early for the pre-game flyover as they momentarily drowned out the singer down by the pitchers mound. And then she felt it, rolling over her in waves. White-hot rage, blistering its way up her spine and over her arms, burning her skin in intensity, before settling into a coolness chillier than ice. "No," she whispered, face white with horror as she scrambled past Bruce and down the row to get to the aisle, searching through the crowd for a glimpse of him.

"What is it?" Nat yelled over the singer, running after her as they sprinted towards the next section, hoping over the barrier as people yelled and the Anthem continued in.

"Where is he? Can you see him?" Ella was shouting, frantic as she ran, pushing people as she tried to get there in time.

"Who, Bucky?" Bruce was yelling now as he ran after them, and his skin was starting to turn a light shade of green as his anxiety kicked up a notch.

"The Soldier," she cried, her heart breaking for him. "Nat- help Bruce! I've got to find him!"

"You go," Nat shouted, turning to rest her hands on Bruce's face as she tried to calm him down. "I've got this!" She called over her shoulder.

And then Ella was running again, sprinting, directed by the horrified cries and shouts as people scattered a few rows over in the distance while the singer sang of the rockets' red glare.

Because there he was, in all his glory. Face cold, eyes hard, metal arm shifting, glinting in the fading sunlight, as he held Steve a foot off the air, his legs dangling as he clawed and tried to pry his fingers free.

The Winter Soldier.

"James," she shrieked, closing the distance and moving so he could see her through the crowd. She could hear Steve pleading, his eyes full of hurt as he tried not to panic, tried to hold back from using force to get away.

When she was the row behind them, Steve met her eyes, his face full of panic and relief. "Help… him," he choked out, thick muscles in his neck flexing as he tried to keep the metal fist from crushing his windpipe.

"James?" She called softly, trying to still her racing heart, trying to calm her nerves.

Nothing. He didn't blink, didn't turn his head, didn't acknowledge her.

She inhaled deep and exhaled through her nose, forcing her body to stop shaking, forcing her heart to slow. "Soldier?" Her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, while the crowds cheered as the singer praised the home of the free and the brave.

His metal fingers flexed a bit, body loosening enough for Steve to suck in a breath as his cold stare turned to meet her tearful eyes. "That's enough, Soldier." Her voice shook, try as she might to steady it, but he heard her, and just as suddenly as he was squeezing, his hand was releasing and Steve was settling back on the ground, rubbing his throat as he picked up their jackets.

"We have to get out of here, Ella," Steve yelled, moving to grab her arm.

The Soldier snarled, metal fist clamping like a vice down on the forearm connected to the hand that had brushed her wrist. "No, Soldier," she whispered, trying to blink the tears free as she shook her head firmly. He growled and sneered with disgust as he threw Steve's arm away from him forcefully, before shifting his feet to stand directly in front of her, cold steely eyes glinting into her own.

She leaned towards him, one lonely tear rolling down her cheek, and swallowed down the rest of her sadness, the rest of her fear. "Come back to me now, Soldier," she whispered firmly, eyes boring into his.

She saw it flicker, just a bit. The conflict playing out over the mask of his face. A whisper of emotion, a hint of understanding.

"Come back to me now, James," she whispered again, eyes hopeful as she saw the gray and blue in his shift and meld and fight for dominance.

And with a tentative hand and a heart full of hope, she reached out towards him to lightly stroke his face, fingers ghosting over the five o'clock shadow that never quite went away. He shuddered, his entire body flexing and releasing as his arms came around her, lifting her over the row of seats to press her flush against him as his mouth came down to devour her own, lips sliding, tongue gliding as he held her tight. She kissed him with everything she had, pouring in all she had to give as she pressed her lips to his, teased his tongue with hers, winding her fingers of one had through his hair as the other continued to scratch against his cheek.

And when he pulled back, gasping for breath, there were tears in his eyes as he pressed his forehead tightly against hers.

Nat and Bruce joined Steve as he watched them with a stunned expression on his face at the end of the row. "She just _kissed_ the Winter Soldier out of him, you guys," he mumbled in disbelief, rubbing the stiffness out of his neck.

"Who knew he just needed a little love?" Nat teased, elbowing Bruce with a wink as he blushed furiously.

He grunted, shifting his feet as he put his ball cap back on. "Congratulations, you guys," he said wryly, nodding his head towards them as Steve and Nat turned to him with questioning gazes. "You just saw a lion kiss a deer."

And as the opening pitch was tossed out, Ella kissed away his tears, twining her fingers with his as she held him tight and promised never to let go.


	12. Chapter 12

**A big thank you to everyone reading and reviewing! Your comments keep this story rolling faster than it probably would otherwise! :)**

 **I'm probably going to post the second part of this scene later today or tomorrow. Let's be honest guys, I'm quite frankly obsessed with my own little fic here, and I just can't seem to stop writing it!**

 **As always, please enjoy, and let me know what you think! :)**

They'd ended up staying for the rest of the game, flat out ignoring his loud protests and profuse apologies as they bribed the kids in Ella's original section to take Steve and his seats instead so they could all sit together. Ella's fingers were twined tightly with his metal, and her head leaned on his shoulder as she held his arm tight with her other hand.

Steve was on his other side, refusing to budge or acknowledge that twenty minutes prior his best friend in the entire world had almost choked him to death. He felt overwhelmingly guilty, so lost and hurt, it damn near swallowed him whole as he tried to hang on. But Steve, impressively, just took it all in stride, laughing and returning to their previous conversation as if nothing had happened.

He was silent for awhile, metal thumb stroking hers as he held his ball cap tight on his head, while the others simply buzzed around him, cracking jokes, mostly at Bruce's expense, and throwing back beers like it was the most normal thing in the world.

They were now having a heated debate about women's clothing, of all things. Steve was insistent that the more modest dresses of the 1940s were sexier than the skin tight, skimpy dresses girls seemed to wear out nowadays. "It's all about the mystery, ladies. We don't need to see each and every curve to know they're there. Leave something to the imagination, will ya?" He drawled, eyes twinkling as he saw the increasing irritation from both Nat and Ella.

"Is that what you think, big guy?" Nat asked Bruce with a raised eyebrow, smirking as he choked on his beer.

"I think I don't have an opinion on this particular topic," he said carefully, eyes firmly planted on the hitter.

"So you think our outfits are slutty," Ella said flatly, eyes narrowed as she glared across his lap at Steve.

He coughed, blushing furiously as he shifted in his seat. "I don't think…"

"Oh, really? Really Steve?! Like you haven't enjoyed the show? You think we don't notice when you two idiots stare at our 'mysterious curves' while we spar in training?" Nat was smirking now, eyebrows raised as she dared Steve to deny it.

"I know I certainly have," James found himself saying in response, voice low, a little blush creeping over his cheeks as he realized he'd said it out loud.

Ella smirked at him, one eyebrow cocked tauntingly at him. "Oh, is that so, Mr. Barnes?"

The saucy little minx was full out gloating now, leaning closer, her breast pushing into his metal arm as her lips brushed lightly against his cheek. "So which do you prefer? Dresses from the forties, or now?" She was practically purring into his ear, and he swallowed hard as he tried to block his arousal from his mind, anything to keep her from knowing how much she affected him.

"I wouldn't know, doll," he said carefully, flashing her a lazy smile. "Can't make a fair opinion until I've seen enough to judge." He felt her shiver at his words as her eyes dropped closed a bit and her tongue peaked out to lip her bottom lip. Ha. He wasn't the only one.

"That settles it, then," Nat slumped back in her seat.

"How does that settle anything at all?" Steve snorted in amusement, rolling his eyes as he took a swig of his beer.

She shrugged like it was obvious. "Tomorrow night is Friday, we'll all get dressed up and go to a big band club I know down the street from the tower. And Saturday, we'll all dress up again and go to a contemporary one. Then we'll see which one you prefer, old man." She smirked at the end, while Steve raised his eyebrows.

"Challenge, accepted, little widow," he drawled, eyes twinkling with a wink.

"And don't think you're getting out of this, big guy," she said slyly as she leaned over to wink at Bruce. "It's team bonding, everybody's going, even Tony. I'm sending a calendar appointment as we speak."

He coughed, sputtering a bit on the sip he'd been in the middle of. "I'm not so sure…"

"You're going," she said firmly, sitting back in her seat.

And that was that.

Ella groaned loudly at the mirror as she tried for the tenth time to twist and curl her hair to get the little finger waves just right, before finally giving up altogether and letting the curls loosely wave around her face and back. Pursing her lips, she applied her bright red lipstick, sighing as she surveyed the finished product. It would have to do.

She took her dress off the hanger and stepped into it, her back turned towards the mirror. She'd gone shopping earlier, with Tony of all people, and she couldn't help but admit she liked the little dress they'd picked out. It was bright red, the shade matching her lipstick, with little white polka dots covering the flowing fabric. Little cap sleeves held it up over her shoulders, and the neckline dipped down into a V-shape that curved to cup around her breasts. It was tight fitting until a few inches below, cinching with a tie of the same material around her natural waist, before flowing in pleats to her knees. She had patent white leather pumps to match, and though they were without a doubt not vintage shoes, she couldn't care in the least. They raised her ass, pushed her breasts forward, and as she turned to take it all in in the mirror, she couldn't help the sly smile spreading over her face. She looked hot as hell. James Buchanan Barnes wasn't going to know what hit him.

She heard voices out in their living room, and spritzed a bit of perfume on before striding out to see what had Bruce roaring with laughter. As soon as she entered the room, her jaw dropped with a mixture of amusement and feigned outrage. "What in the hell are you wearing?!"

She had her hair done up in curls wrapped around a black shimmery headband, and was wearing a strappy little black flapper dress that, among being from the wrong decade, was also far to short to be considered appropriate even then. "What," she said innocently with a little shrug and a smirk.

"That is in no way from the 1940s, Natasha Romanoff, and you know it," she said with a snort, rolling her eyes with a grin.

Nat pursed her lips with a smile and winked at Bruce, who was looking incredibly handsome in an all black suit with a black undershirt. "I don't hear you complaining, big guy," she teased with a wink.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, curly hair dancing as he fought back a smile and a blush. "You're the one whose going to stand out, not me," he drawled, eyes roaming over her appreciatively.

She shrugged. "Since when has that stopped me before? And while I'm at it, those pumps aren't period appropriate either, little miss hypocrite," she said with a smirk.

Ella smiled wide and did a little spin, raising her arms out. "What? They helped show off my mysterious curves," she said slyly, and both girls collapsed into a fit of giggles.

"Good evening, ladies," Steve crooned from where he lounged casually against the doorway in a gray pinstripe suit, eyes roaming between the two of him as he rolled his eyes at Nat. "At least you tried, I suppose," he snorted, shaking his head as he walked in to hand each lady a single white rose.

"My, my. Maybe a girl could get used to the forties after all," she teased, winking as she turned to put her flower in a little vase of water.

"No kidding. Where's super soldier number two?" Nat called, joining her at the counter and slipping her rose in with hers.

Steve scoffed, rolling his eyes in annoyance towards the door. "Still primping with Tony. The vainness apparently disappear no matter how many times they wiped him," he teased, and Ella found herself laughing along with the others.

"Ladies and gentleman," Jarvis' voice came on overhead. "May I present to you, Mr. Tony Stark."

"Oh you have got to be kidding me," Nat shook her head in amusement, as Tony strolled in looking every bit a pimp with his had tilted and his fake black cane.

"I am not going out in public with you," Ella giggled, her eyes wide with mock horror as she shook her head.

"How about with me, doll?" And her heart just about stopped when her eyes opened wide and her lips formed a perfect "Oh".

He was breathtaking. Devastatingly handsome. He was wearing a black pinstripe suit with a gray dress shirt underneath, hair pulled back into a little bun at the base of his skull, cheeks shaved completely smooth, eyes twinkling when he saw her openly staring at him. Until his eyes roamed her face and slid down to take in her dress as she stepped out from behind the counter. And then he froze, and wore the same awed expression she was sure was written all over her face.

"We'll meet the car and give you kids a moment," Tony drawled, turning with a swish and waving for the others to follow him as the snickered and winked.

He smiled wide, and her heart started to race as he casually strolled up to her, close enough she had to crane her neck up to look him in the eyes. His hand reached up to lightly brush against her cheek. "Beautiful, doll," he breathed, eyes twinkling into hers.

She blushed prettily, lowering her eyes under her lashes as she smiled shyly at him. "You're not so bad yourself, handsome," she whispered softly, peaking up at him from under her lashes.

He just about groaned when she caught her plump lower lip between her teeth and smiled up at him coyly while he brushed her face. He captured her hand, pulling it so her arm was circled through his as he turned and led them towards the elevator to join the others. "You'd try the patience of a saint, you know that?" He teased, winking as she blushed again and smiled up at him.

"You like it?" She breathed, following him into the elevator.

He unwound her arm from his and held her arm out, turning her to twirl in front of him before catching her by the waist and pulling her within inches of his chest. He leaned down, lips grazing her ear as he whispered. "Never liked anything more in my life."

She was giggling, cheeks nearly redder than her dress as the doors opened and the others turned to see they'd joined them.

"Come on, we gave you a moment! You're pretty, he's pretty, I look fucking fantastic. Let's go already!" Tony whined at the door, huffing with annoyance as he pushed it wide and let them out to the street.

"Would you allow me to escort you this evening, Ms. Potts?" He whispered dangerously in her ear before pulling back to smile lazily at her.

She was pretty sure her heart was going to stop before the night was over, and she was even more sure she didn't give a damn. "It would be my pleasure, Mr. Barnes," she said saucily, winking at him as she wound her arm once again through his, walking with him out into the cool spring night.


	13. Chapter 13

**As always, I am seriously blown away by the support for this story! I hope you enjoy this chapter, please drop a comment and let me know what you think! It's a little long, but I'm not sure I'll be able to update tomorrow and I just couldn't bear to split it up, so here you go!**

She felt his arm tense under her fingers and his anxiety spike as they exited the taxi in front of the nightclub Nat had found. Ella shot a questioning glance at him as the sound of the music thumping had her starting to sway her hips involuntarily. "You okay?"

He took a deep breath as he wrapped her arm through his before nodding and giving her a confident smile. "Yeah, doll. Just don't want a repeat of my last public outing."

She feigned a pout and batted her eyelashes up at him as he held the door for her and they followed their friends into the club. "Was kissing me that bad, Mr. Barnes?"

As they came up to the table Tony had reserved he pressed his chest into her back and dipped his head down to whisper in her ear. "The worst, doll," he teased, voice rumbling in her ear and sending butterflies to flight in her belly.

She shook her head as a blush climbed up from her chest to her cheeks, and he chuckled in amusement and pressed a light kiss to the side of her neck, smirking when he heard her sigh as she fell back against his chest. "Mmm, I wondered," he whispered into her ear before stepping back and around her to lean casually against the table.

"Wondered what?" She flashed a dimple as she smiled up at him with twinkling eyes.

"How far down you blushed," he licked his lip with a smirk as the pink on her cheeks deepened into red.

She narrowed her eyes, biting back a smile and smacking his arm as Nat interrupted before she could respond. Which was a blessing, really. Because she was breathless already and her head was spinning and she was pretty sure anything she said wouldn't be half as clever out loud as it sounded in her head.

"A toast! To prude women and even pruder dresses!" Nat winked, raising her glass of champagne as Tony poured the rest.

"For your information, it would be more prude. Pruder isn't a word," Steve snarked, rolling his eyes and raising his glass. "To old friends and new, and times spent with all of you."

"God, could you be any cheesier, grandpa?" Nat sneered with a wink, nodding for the others to raise their glasses.

"To us," Ella said simply, raising hers with a smile.

"To us!" A chorus echoed as they clinked their glasses.

Ella found her hips starting to sway again, and she couldn't help but admit there was something definitely appealing about a live band with a full brass blasting the music of the forties from the stage at the front of the dance floor.

"I feel like we're in that scene from Pearl Harbor," Nat yelled over the music, smiling as she started to sway while she downed the rest of her champagne.

Steve snorted, rolling his eyes. "That was like the most inaccurate movie of the century, by the way," he called, before extending a hand to Nat. "Care to join me in a dance, Ms. Widow?"

She smiled, placing her palm in his with a wink. "Why, Mr. America, I thought you'd never ask," she teased, following him out to the floor.

"I'm starting to realize we have sorely miscalculated the number of ladies we should have invited," Tony drawled, eyes scanning the room. "Join me up at the bar?" He tossed to Bruce as his eyes lit on three ladies sitting by themselves at the bar top.

"I think I'll pass, I'm good here," he said with a smile, watching Steve and Nat twirl on the floor.

"How about you, doll?" James whispered in her ear, voice rough like sandpaper. "Would you do me the honor?"

She bit her lip, eyes hesitant. "I'm not sure…"

He winked at her, catching her hand and tugging her after him onto the floor. "It's easy. All you have to do is hold on, I lead and you follow. As it should be," he said with a wink and a laugh as she narrowed her eyes at him.

He pulled her close, bringing her other hand up to his shoulder as he rested his on her waist and started to spin her around the floor. She started to laugh a little breathlessly as he spun her faster and faster, literally dancing sweeping circles around Nat and Steve, and before she knew it the room was spinning and everything was fading away as she stared up into the ocean blue eyes smiling back at her.

As the song faded and changed and the singer started to croon I Could Write A Book, he slowed their dancing down to a soft sway and leaned down to hum and whisper the words in her ear.

 _"If they asked me, I could write a book_

 _About the way you walk, and whisper, and look_

 _I could write a preface_

 _On how we met_

 _So the world would never forget_

 _And the simple secret of the plot_

 _Is just to tell them that I love you a lot_

 _And the world discovers_

 _As my book ends_

 _How to make two lovers_

 _Of friends"_

Her heart pounded out of her ears, so loud she was sure he could hear it, and she felt she could scarcely breathe as he spun her slowly around the floor. She felt dizzy, lightheaded and breathless from the sound of his voice in her ear, the feel of his arm wrapped tight around her waist, and she held on tight as he pressed another soft kiss into the side of her neck right below the shell of her ear.

And then the song was changing, and the spell was broken, and with a wry smile he pulled back and clasped her hand tightly as he led her back to the table with their friends. She swallowed down the butterflies as she took a swig of champagne, finishing her glass, and she turned her head to watch as Tony led all three ladies from the bar top earlier out onto the dance floor.

"Well, ladies? What do you think of forties night?" Steve asked, a smug smile on his face.

"I have to admit, there's something charming about the simpler life," Nat teased, reaching to grab Bruce's hand and yank him out onto the dance floor.

"And what about you?" Steve asked, turning to Ella with a smile.

"It's lovely, I have to admit," she said with a smile. "I didn't know you could dance like that," she turned to James.

His chest puffed out and he stood up straight with a wink. "You're looking at the two time dance hall champion, doll. I've barely shown you a thing."

Her mouth dropped open and he pulled up short and shook his head in amazement as he realized what he'd just said. Steve laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "That's right! You're a lucky girl, Ella Potts."

"You remembered that?" She breathed, eyes shining as she smiled at him.

He bit his lip and raised his eyebrows, shrugging with a smile. "I guess I did," his voice was hushed as he searched his brain for anything else, any other memories popping in.

"See? I knew this idea could work," Steve boasted proudly, squeezing James' shoulder before turning back to watch Nat fight to lead with Bruce out on the floor.

"So you've been holding on your moves on me, Mr. Barnes?" She raised her eyebrow saucily as she teased him.

He smirked, finishing his re-filled glass of champagne before raising an eyebrow at her. "Not sure you could keep up, doll. Just doing you a favor."

She huffed and rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a smile. "You wait until tomorrow night, then we'll see who does who a favor."

He snorted, crinkling his nose as he shook his head. "I'm not worried. Do your worst."

She turned so her back was against the table and slid her palm across his rock hard abdomen over the front of his jacket. "My worst isn't what you should be worried about, James," she said coyly, licking her bottom lip as her fingers ghosted up his jacket over the buttons.

He practically growled as his metal arm shot out to wrap around her waist and pull her into the circle of his arms, waves of lust rolling over her as she felt his growing arousal warm her inside. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to tease a beast, doll?" He ground out, eyes darkening as they dipped to watch her tongue poke out to slide over her bottom lip.

"That settles it!" Steve announced loudly, startling Ella so she twisted in James' arms to look over her shoulder at him with a questioning gaze while Nat and Bruce rejoined them at the table.

"Settles what?" Nat as curiously, refilling her glass and bumping her shoulder playfully against Bruce's.

"I've got the perfect code names for them once we start doing missions again!" He pronounced proudly, smiling wide.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Ella asked with a smile, leaning back to rest her head on James' shoulder while his arms came around her to rest his elbows on the table.

"The lion and the doe!" He said with a smirk, and Ella's jaw dropped while James chuckled behind her and Bruce spit his drink out laughing.

"It's perfect!" Nat cheered, raising her glass again in a toast.

"What?! No its-" Ella protested as Steve raised his glass to join Nat.

"To the lion and the doe!" He shouted, clinking his glass against Nat's.

Bruce's raised in response as Ella started again, "Wait! No! I'm not going to be the-"

"To the lion and the doe!" James responded with a broad smile, raising his glass to clink with theirs before they all swallowed.

Ella rolled her eyes and grumbled up at him, "Who said you're the lion?"

He ran his nose up over the back of her neck until his lips were pressed against the shell of her left ear, and she felt him smile at the shiver that rolled through her just from his gentle caress. "Is that really a question, doll?" He teased, nipping the bottom of her earlobe.

She sighed, tilting her head to the side and trying to fight back the shudder she felt threatening to roll through her while he kissed down the side of her neck to the top of her collarbone. His large hand wrapped around her wrist, and before she could blink he'd spun her around so his chest was pressed tight against hers and he was leaning her back over the table while his lips hovered over hers. She breathed a little sigh again, closing her eyes before leaning in to press her lips against his smooth cheek, peppering light little kisses up to the bottom of his ear.

She felt his body tense in response as her tongue came out to trace the bottom of his earlobe before she lightly grazed it with her teeth. "Careful, James," she whispered into his ear, sliding her free hand over his jacket and up his broad chest. He hummed in response, a low rumble reverberating from his chest into hers as he leaned into her touch. "Be careful. Or before you know it, you might find you're the prey, after all," she whispered, before pulling back to catch his lips in a kiss.

His lips were soft against hers, teasing and sliding until she opened her mouth on a moan and his tongue slipped in to slide with hers as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. He pulled back, kissing her lips closed before pushing his tongue back in, and she closed her lips to suck it lightly, making him groan while his hands pressed her tight to his chest.

"Get a room!" Tony yelled, returning as they broke away, panting as they smiled into each others eyes. "Now come on, I've got three lovely ladies who want to see what an Avenger's room looks like, and I don't intend to disappoint them," he smirked, before motioning with his head as he wrapped his arms around two girls and started to lead them all towards the door.

James sighed and pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes as he fought to steady his breathing. "What are you doing to me, Ella," he whispered, before pulling back to press a tender kiss to her forehead as he wrapped his arm around her and led her towards the door.

She wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned into his side as they made their way through the club. "I could ask you the same thing, James," she teased.

He chuckled a bit as he held the door open for her and pressed his hand against the small of her back as she passed. "I'm not sure, but I know I don't want it to stop," he whispered into her ear, pulling her back to his side as they made their way towards a taxi.

"Me neither," she smiled, leaning up to press a kiss against his cheek.

"Yeah?" He whispered, a shy little smile on his handsome face as his eyes looked earnestly into hers.

"Yeah," she whispered back, soft smile spreading as her eyes sparkled up at him while she slid into the taxi.

"Good," he rumbled, sliding in beside her and throwing his arm around her shoulder, holding her close. He tucked her head against his shoulder and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Because, even though I may not remember, I'm pretty sure bonding with you is the best thing that's ever happened to me," he whispered into her hair.

She felt her heart swell and start to pound as she pressed her face into his neck, butterflies fluttering in her chest. She giggled as she pressed a soft kiss into his neck. "Well, I do remember, and I am positive that it's the best thing that's ever happened to me," she said shyly, ducking her head when he tried to look down at her.

He hummed as he rested his head on top of hers, closing his eyes. "Thank god," he teased, brushing his hand through her curls.

"No, thank Bruce," she giggled, making him chuckle as the taxi came to a stop in front of Stark Tower.

"Don't worry, doll," he said as he pulled her out behind him and scooped her up into his arms as he strolled towards the door. "I do, every chance I get."


	14. Chapter 14

**Can you guys believe we are at 25,000 words already and all we've had is a few heated kisses so far? I wasn't sure where this story was going when I first started it, but now I feel like we have such a long way to go in their little romance, and I want to thank you all for reading and venturing right along with me! :) I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please drop a comment and let me know what you think! :)**

"Are we going for slutty sexy, or sophisticated sexy?" Nat called across the shop, furiously shoving aside racks of dresses as she searched for tonight's bombshell outfit.

"I'm thinking there has to be some kind of happy medium, right?" Ella called back with a grin, pulling out a halter dress with a low scoop back. "What do you think of this one?"

Nat pursed her lips and tilted her head. "I think the gray might wash you out, but I now have a better understanding of the look we're going for. I'll put this sequined dress back," she teased with a smirk.

"That's one trend I'll never understand," Ella said with a laugh, turning to scope out the rack behind her.

"Ah ha!" Nat yelled, traipsing off to the dressing room with a little black number thrown over her shoulder.

Ella huffed in frustration, eye scanning the racks until another black dress hung in the very back corner caught her eye. She scooped it off the rack and headed into the room beside Nat's, throwing off her clothes and pulling the dress on.

"On the count of three?" Ella called over the top of the wall separating their rooms.

"One, two, three!" Nat called back, both doors swinging open wide on three.

As they stepped out and faced each other, both girl's jaws dropped, before a sly grin spread over Nat's face. "Those boys don't stand a chance, do they?"

Ella smiled widely back. "About as much as a prayer in hell," she said with a wink.

"Little black dress night, it is!" Nat cheered, sauntering over to the mirror to twist and turn in front of it. She was wearing a tight black dress with two straps going over one shoulder and cutouts down the side starting at the top of her rib cage, all the way down to where the dress met the top of her thighs.

"And who are we wearing that slinky little dress for, anyways?" Ella teased with an innocent grin, sauntering up beside her to turn and take in her own dress. Hers was a simple form-fitting black dress with a sweetheart neckline and a lace overlay that came up and down one arm. The dress hugged her curves, stopping just at the top of her thigh and barely covering her ass.

"Oh, please. You didn't think you were the only one after a big guy?" She teased with a wink, and the girls giggled as they took in their reflections. "What do you say we go all out, with blowouts, mani/pedi's, and stiletto's to boot?"

"I think Steve will die of embarrassment, and we will without a doubt win this little contest. Let's do it!" Ella replied with a smirk.

They paid for the dresses and strolled out of the shop and down the street towards the nearest salon, arms wrapped around each other while they chatted and made plans for the night.

"You're saying we really shouldn't wear a suit jacket?" Steve asked the men's attendant for the thousandth as he sighed in exasperation.

"Yes, sir," the man replied drily with a roll of his eyes as James snickered. Perhaps he'd have been a little more conservative if he could remember proprieties from before, but as it was he was perfectly willing to go with the flow. Plus, he had a feeling Ella was going to be drop dead gorgeous, and he needed to keep up.

"Can I at least wear a blazer?" Steve asked with no small amount of hope leaking into his voice.

"Certainly, sir. You may wear whatever you wish, as you, in fact, will be the one wearing it," the attendant deadpanned, and James couldn't help but laugh loudly while Steve turned pink and strolled over towards the blazers lining the wall.

Bruce came out of the dressing room in fitted gray dress pants with a matching gray vest over a blue and white stripped dress shirt, sleeves rolled up and sunglasses thrown on. James snickered again when the attendant praised his style while Steve scoffed over his shoulder.

"And who, exactly, are you trying to impress?" Steve threw over his shoulder as he turned back to rummage through the blazers.

Bruce's cheeks pinked a bit as he mumbled "no one" and turned to look at himself in the mirror.

James strolled over, a few clothes tossed over his shoulder, and clapped Bruce on the back as he passed him to go into a room. "Nat's gonna love it, buddy," he said with a wink, chuckling as Bruce shuffled and smiled timidly.

"Yeah?" His voice was hesitant, and James smiled widely.

"Yeah. A word of advice? Just assume she does. If you play it confident and cool, you'll have her wrapped around your pinky by the end of the night," he said with a grin, shutting the door behind him.

"Cool. Confident." Bruce repeated it to himself as he turned in the mirror and tossed himself a cocky grin.

"You can't be cool if you say it out loud, Bruce," Steve chuckled as he passed him and went back into the dressing room with a few blazers and dress shirts. "Just channel your inner James Buchanan Barnes, that's what I always do."

Steve came back out a few minutes later in tan dress shoes, dark gray dress pants and a navy blue fitted blazer buttoned over a light blue dress shirt and navy and white polka-dot tie. "What do you think?" He held up his arms and turned in a circle, smiling proudly.

"I think the fact that you just held your arms out and spun in a circle for me means I'm going to ignore any advice you have about being cool from now on," Bruce laughed with a lazy smirk. "But it looks good man."

"You gonna make us wait all day, Bu- buddy?" Steve called into the dressing room at James.

Bruce held up a thumbs up and smirked. "Nice save, buddy. Real smooth," he said sarcastically, shaking his head as Steve mouthed "what?" at him.

James threw open the door and strolled casually out of the dressing room to see himself in the mirror, flashing a cocky smile as Bruce nodded and smiled wide. "I thought you said no suit jackets?" Steve said snarkily to the attendant observing with a small smile.

His voice was impassive as he responded, "That was for you, sir. He wears it no problem."

James' smirked as he turned and took in his reflection while Steve grumbled at the attendant. He was wearing an all black fitted suit, with a black vest and black dress shirt unbuttoned at the neck and top, the only pop of color a little white pocket square in the left breast pocket. And judging from the envious looks not a few shoppers were throwing his way, he looked damn good in it.

"Ella's gonna love it," Bruce said with a smile.

"Ella loves everything he does," Steve said with fake irritation, a wide smile on his face.

"Still think you're gonna win and they'll admit clothes in the forties were better than clothes now?" Bruce called to him as he went back in the room to change out of his clothes for tonight.

Steve snorted with confidence. "Absolutely! It's not even a question."

"We'll see, buddy," James said lazily as he sauntered back into the dressing room. "We'll see."

A few hours later, Ella sat on the edge of the bathroom counter and picked at a salad while Nat finished primping in the mirror. "Is Tony coming out again tonight?" Ella asked casually, voice a bit tenser than usual.

Nat shrugged, "Not sure, but probably. It's a bit awkward for you, right? Since him and Pepper broke up or are on a break or whatever?"

Ella sighed, taking another bite of her salad. "Yeah, a bit," she said softly. Poor Pepper had had enough of Tony, and apparently they'd already broken things off even before Ella was taken by Hydra, though she didn't know it at the time. Given her now permanent connection to James, Ella was always at Start Tower, which meant she hardly ever saw her sister, given she'd exclaimed after the first day that there was no way in hell she was stepping foot in here again unless the world depended on it.

"Maybe we could have a girls night, just the three of us, one day this week?" Nat suggested with an understanding smile, squeezing Ella's shoulder as she cocked her hip on the counter and picked a crouton out of her salad.

Ella shrugged, "Maybe. I'll text her and see what she says."

Male laughter floated into the bathroom and Nat smirked at her as Ella stood and turned towards the mirror, fluffing her curls one last time. "Sounds like our escorts have arrived, in the usual raucous fashion," she said drily, delicate eyebrows raised.

"Haven't you gals been getting ready all day? Let's get a move on!" Tony called towards the presently closed bathroom door.

Ella sighed, "Guess that answers that question."

"You want to go first, or should we go together?"

Ella smiled, pushing away her discomfort with Tony and grabbed Nat's hand. "Together. That way we don't miss a moment of their reactions."

Nat smirked and pushed the door open wide. Arm in arm, the ladies strolled out with matching smirks and hip swaying struts.

Until they rounded the corner.

And then they were the ones with embarrassing reactions.

Ella's heart starting racing and she swallowed drily at the sight of James lounging casually against the back of an armchair in his fitted black suit, arms bulging where they were crossed over his chest, his hair slicked back in another low bun and a day's worth of stubble growing in on his cheeks. She felt herself get a little uncomfortably damp at how good he looked, and judging from the smirk on his face and glint in his eye he could feel her arousal, too.

Never one to give up the upper hand, she bit her lip and slowly walked up to him, hips swaying and chest pushed out as she walked right up between his legs to rest her palm on his chest. She didn't miss the way his eyes hungrily swept over her curves, or the way he was fixated on her hips and her chest. "Eyes up, soldier," she teased, using the tip of her finger to gently push his chin up until their faces were parallel.

The way his pupils widened and his voice dropped had Ella practically panting as he leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek, his scruff scratching softly against the side of her face. "You look beautiful, doll," he rumbled appreciatively into her ear, before pulling back to flash her a cocky smile. "And, if I'm not mistaken, it feels like you think I look good, too." She didn't miss the way he'd emphasized the word feel, and she felt her cheeks tint pink as she rolled her eyes and tossed her hair over her shoulder, turning to follow the others as they made their way to the elevator.

She threw some extra sway into her hips, and she could practically feel his gaze burn over her back and waist while they made their way down the all. "Good enough to eat," she threw over her shoulder, turning slightly to wink at him and grin as a sly smile spread across his face.

He followed her onto the elevator, and she felt his big hands rest lightly on her waist, one metal, one flesh, as he leaned down and brushed his lips against her ear. "That's supposed to by my line, doll," he whispered low into her ear, chuckling when he felt her body shiver and saw the blush rising on her chest and her neck, climbing to grace her cheeks.

He tsked at her as the doors slid open and they walked out to the limo Tony had called for the night. "You're a naughty girl, Ella," he teased, sliding in beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders to pull her close to his side.

When the car stopped a few streets over and they all climbed out, she turned to smile cockily at him over her shoulder. "You have no idea, Mr. Barnes," she purred at him with a wink.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" He was smirking as he wrapped an arm around her waist, leaning down to inhale the scent of her hair.

She sighed softly before tilting her head up and back to whisper in his ear. "Well, for one… I'm not wearing any underwear." Waves of his arousal flooded her body, and the heat in his eyes as his growl ripped through his chest and vibrated into her back made her just about die on the spot.


	15. Chapter 15

**Eek, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :) Drop a comment and let me know what you think! Thanks so much for reading!**

The look on Steve's face had tears rolling down Ella's face when they'd finally gotten their drinks and made their way to the balcony Tony had reserved for the group. His jaw was nearly to the floor, and the crimson blush spreading over his face had even Bruce snickering while Steve watched the bodies twist and sway and convalesce together on the dance floor below.

James' reaction wasn't much different, though he hid it better than Steve. She felt his increasing anxiety and shock rolling into her, and when she looked over to where he lounged next to her against the railing, she couldn't help but giggle at how carefully he was trying to hold his face together. "Something wrong?" She asked innocently, batting her eyelashes as she fought back a smirk.

"They're basically have sex!" Steve just about yelped, sending Ella and Nat into another fit of giggles.

"Oh my god," Bruce stuttered, pointing as he started to laugh loudly. Following his hand and nod of head, Ella turned to see Tony had leapt right into the middle of it, and was not only grinding with one girl in front of him, but he had one behind him as well.

"That takes quite the coordination," James mused with a smirk next to her, and Ella couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at him in response.

"Think you'll be able to keep up tonight, Mr. Barnes?" She asked with a challenge, eyes flashing up at him as she casually leaned on the rail to push her hips towards him and angle her chest.

He growled as his metal arm snaked out to wrap around her and pull her with him towards the stairs. His face dipped down to hers as he placed a slow kiss on the side of her neck, just below her ear. "Do you think you will, doll?" He challenged back, voice dropping to curl her toes in her heels.

With a sly smile, Ella bit her lip and turned slightly to take hold of his tie, pulling him close behind her down the stairs and onto the dance floor. The bass thumped across the floor while the lights started to flash different colors, and she shot a look over her shoulder as she pulled him and turned into his arms. "I'm fine, doll," he said drily, eyes searching as he watched the different dancers around him. "You would know that if you paid attention to my feelings," he said with mock hurt and a teasing wink.

"That's the problem, James," she teased, before turning in his arms and pressing her back up to his chest, starting to feel the music roll into her. "I don't think you're feeling enough." And with that, took hold of both of his hands, placing them on each hip as she started to sway to the beat of the music. Arching her back, Ella rolled her hips to grind her butt into his crotch lightly while she slid her hands up his arms to reach behind her and twist one around his neck, holding him close as she moved against him.

The thump of the club music had her slowly moving against him in a teasing rhythm that pressed and pulled in all the right ways, and she felt his arousal in both a literal and emotional sense as his body tightened behind her while waves rolled through her. With a smirk she thought that maybe she finally had a bit of the upper hand.

Until he started to grind back against her.

And then she knew she never really had control at all. And maybe he never did either.

His hands were roaming up and down her hips to the front of her thighs, while his hips rolled back to press and slide with hers in time with the music. Her head fell back on his shoulder while his came down to meet it, the scruff of his beard scratching deliciously against the smooth skin of her cheek and neck as they moved, bodies like one with the music, like one with each other.

She felt like her skin was on fire as she moved against him, his body wrapped around hers making her heart pound and her head fly right up to the clouds. She was starting to pant, starting to lose any ounce of self-control she had left, and by the amount of want and need his body was sending in to hers, she could tell he was too. And then she felt the sharpness of his teeth as he lightly bit the tender skin where her shoulder met her neck, and the shudder that rolled through her while the wetness dampened the top of her thighs made her just about come undone right there.

He was panting as his lips pressed in to whisper, his husky voice rasping in her ear. "And how about now, Ella?" He growled as he continued to move against her, and it took her more than a few beats for her to process what he'd said.

"What?" She asked breathlessly, butterflies flying right out of her chest as her head spun from how much she desperately wanted the man behind her, and how much she could feel he wanted her as well.

"Am I feeling enough now, doll?" The low chuckle accompanying his words as she shivered was just about her undoing, and she couldn't help the whine that came out of the back of her throat in response.

She felt him shudder against her, and his voice was strained as he whispered once again while his hands traced over her and his hips pressed into her. "That's a good start, doll," he rumbled into her ear, "But you're going to be screaming by the time I'm done." She bit her lip tightly just barely managed not to orgasm right there as he growled and ground harder into her.

People started to move around them in a rush, and as she turned to look she felt a hard hand clamp down on her arm, yanking her away from James as he turned while Steve called his name. She felt a knife press up tight against her throat while she struggled against the arms wrapping tight around her, and she stilled as soon as the cool metal hit her flesh.

"Very good," a voice whispered thick with a Russian accent behind her, sending shivers of fear down her spine.

There was chaos everywhere, people screaming as they pushed and pulled against each other like a tidal wave in a panic. She watched as James started to spin in a circle, eyes scanning for her while the man at her back pulled her into the crowd. She felt his fear rising, his eyes snapping to and fro, and she fought her own panic as she tried to send calming thoughts to him through their bond.

I'm alright, she tried to tell him, I'm okay.

But his fear was too strong, and she felt him struggling to breathe while the man pulled her out and into an alley at the back of the club.

"Well, well, well." The voice was cold and snake-like, and Ella felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach as she recognized the man to whom it belonged.

The Winter Soldier's handler. She was captured once again by Hydra.

"I see you've kept a careful eye on our asset," his voice grated on her eyes, high-pitched and nasally as it pierced through the night. "But we'll be taking him back now."

She heard yelling down the alley behind her, and the cold smile he sent her shot another wave of fear straight into her heart. "And we'll be killing all of them."

The man holding her spun her around so she was facing down the street, and she saw Steve, Nat and James sprinting towards her as their eyes flicked over the Hydra agents circling her, twenty in all.

"Don't worry," he called softly behind her. "We'll leave you alive for now. So you can watch."

They crashed into the first few agents, fighting in close hand to hand combat to get to her while more swarmed out from the fire escapes and jumped down to surround them. Three black SUV's pulled up to block their escape out the back, and suddenly there were nearly fifty Hydra agents in the close alley, swarming around her friends.

She watched Nat take a hard kick to the jaw and go flying into the brick behind her, and Ella wondered in a panic at where Tony and Bruce were and why they weren't helping. She struggled against the man holding her, twisting and bucking and kicking but to no avail.

Tears pricked her eyes when she saw Nat was out cold, and Ella couldn't even tell if her crumpled body was still breathing. The fear was swallowing her chest, and it pierced her heart when she saw even Steve fall, swarmed and overwhelmed by nearly ten agents as they fought to restrain him.

Her eyes flew to James', and she saw the fear and anguish written all over his face as he swung his metal fist and twisted and flipped, trying desperately to fight his way to her.

His eyes raised to hers as the agents overwhelmed him, and his mouth turned into a firm line when he nodded his head to her.

Do it, she felt his voice whisper in her mind.

She shook her head, tears rolling down her face as her heart quenched while he struggled and wrestled against the agents forcing him down.

Do it, his voice insisted, more urgent this time.

She shook her head, fighting against her capture as her eyes bored into his, watching him succumb as they brought him down to kneel.

"Do it," he shouted across the alley, eyes blazing with fire and fear.

She closed her eyes tight, breathing deep.

Her body snapped up firmly, tears drying instantly as she forced her eyes open and trapped his gaze. With every ounce of strength she had left, she steadied her voice to call through the night. "Come to me, Winter Soldier." Her voice was hard, firm, and she heard the nasally man behind her shoulder suck in a breath in confusion.

She called again, eyes burning into his. "Come to me, Winter Soldier."

And with a shudder and a roar, he did.


	16. Chapter 16

**First of all, I am BEYOND honored that this story now has over 100 followers! You all are amazing! I hope I am doing this story justice.**

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 **Thank you!**

Cold eyes snapped up to hers as his metal arm whirred to life, plates sliding and flexing as a hand snapped out to fist in the hair of the attacker in front of him before launching him into the pavement with a sickening crunch.

She swallowed hard before nodding firmly. "Kill them," she said quietly, ignoring the chill rolling through her as his body responded instantly to her words. "Kill them all, except for him." She jerked her head behind her towards the nasally handler.

Without a word, he burst forth as bodies flew to smack against the brick walls, heads twisting, backs breaking, limbs popping as he fought all who stood between them. A flicker of movement to his right caught his eyes, and with a snarl he sprinted towards the few hovering over Steve as he started to rise. A river of blood rolled down the street while the bodies piled up at his feet, and she watched with cold detachment, his reserve sweeping through her body to settle her nerves, while he rained down death and destruction.

As his fist closed around Steve's throat and he thrust him hard against the brick wall of the club, Ella shook her head and called softly. "Not him, Soldier."

He snarled, releasing him instantaneously before turning to throw a knife into the forehead of the agent who had been trying to pull her back out of the alley and towards a car.

A roar sounded as a green giant thundered around the corner, crushing the car the nasally handler as mere feet from entering with his foot as he raced towards Nat's crumpled body on the pavement.

Cold eyes flickered to hers once more as he halted his progress towards her. She shook her head, eyes steady as they gazed into his. "Not them, either, Soldier."

A brief nod, and then he was flying through the air to kill all who tried to retreat, until he was face to face with his Hydra handler.

"My my, how impressive," the handler noted, eyes flickering with the first bit of fear.

Ella felt Steve come to stand on her left, while the Hulk cradled Natasha in his strong green arms and stood to her right.

"I command you to kill them now, Soldier," the agent said coldly, nodding towards the foursome a few paces away from him.

A metal fist shot out to close tightly around his thin throat, choking off his air, before the Winter Soldier turned to drag his body behind him towards Ella, dropping him before fisting his metal hand in his hair to force him to kneel while his eyes met hers. Tony flew into the alley behind her, helmet of his Iron Man suit opening so he could call down. "We need him alive, Ella, we need to interrogate him."

The Soldier's eyes bored into hers, and she felt a stirring within him as something flickered behind his cold eyes. Meeting his gaze, she called out to him with her mind through their bond.

 _You are angry, Soldier?_

A nearly imperceptible nod.

 _Why?_

A grunt, while a heavy metal fist shook the hair of the body cowering below it.

"After we are done with him, James is the one who kills him," she said firmly, not taking her eyes from the Soldier in front of her.

His eyes flared with heat, and she quickly corrected herself while the fist nearly ripped out a handful of hair. "Excuse me. After we are done with him, the Winter Soldier will be the one who kills him."

A firm jerk of the chin as he nodded.

Tony sighed heavily as he buzzed around, but Steve waved him off. "Okay," he agreed, watching him carefully. "You can kill him. When she tells you to."

The Soldier nodded once before turning his gaze to the Iron Man. "Come on, children," Tony drawled. "Let's go home."

The Winter Soldier's gazed snapped back to hers as Steve clasped a hand on her shoulder to pull her down the alley, before stepping back with a smirk as he heard the low growl. "Easy there, we all know she's yours big guy."

A grunt on the side with a roar had Steve's eyes widening as he looked towards the Hulk who was lumbering down the pavement, leaving craters in his wake. "Excuse me," he mocked. " _Other_ big guy," he said with amusement.

He turned back to the Soldier and nodded his head towards Ella. "She's been through a lot, don't you think? And she's limping. I thought I'd just help her home, if you don't mind?"

Giant shoulders shifted as muscles flexed while he tilted his head, cold eyes sweeping down to her feet before coming back up to her face. With a snarl, he threw the Hydra handler forward to collapse at Steve's feet before striding purposefully up to Ella and sweeping her up into his arms.

Steve snorted, rolling his eyes while Ella smiled softly and met his gaze over the Winter Soldier's shoulder. "Alright, then. You rescue the girl, I'll drag the bad guy home."

She lay her head on his shoulder as he stalked down the alley and back towards Stark Tower, grim determination setting firm lines on his face while his fury rolled through her body. They entered the tower and took the elevator up towards their room, passing through the common room where Bruce was passed out naked on the couch with a blanket thrown over him while Natasha stroked his hair away from his face.

"You still haven't un-summoned him yet?" She asked with a smirk as he carried her directly past them and into their bathroom suite.

Ella smiled, calling over his shoulder as he kicked the bathroom door shut. "He's angry with me about something, so I thought we'd get it all squared away first."

He plopped her down gently on the vanity counter before coming down to kneel at her feet while he delicately removed each of her heels. She winced as the right one slid off, and he cradled her foot in his cool metal hand while he delicately probed the bones with his right.

"I'm alright, Soldier," she said softly, warm eyes looking down with amusement at the hands which mere minutes ago where dealing death and destruction.

He grunted before returning to stand and turning to start the water to fill the Jacuzzi tub. "Come here, Soldier, please," she asked him quietly. She felt something unsettling race through him at being given a choice, rather than a command.

He turned and stalked slowly towards her, eyes glinting every bit like the predator he was before he came to rest against her knees. "Why are you angry with me?" She whispered as she reached up to gently touch his rough cheek with her fingertips.

His eyes closed at the contact, and she saw the muscles in his face twitch as she felt an emotion go through her. Fear.

"You were afraid for me?" She asked surprised, raising her eyebrows as cold eyes snapped back open to plead into hers. "I… Um…" She stumbled, heart fluttering in her chest at the depth of emotion she could see in his eyes.

"I need you," his tone was cold and automatic as the Winter Soldier's was, but he couldn't quite hide the need shining in his steely eyes.

She blinked back the tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks as she swallowed and nodded, giving him a watery smile. "I need you too, Soldier," she whispered, tenderly cupping his cheek as she brought a second hand up to join the first. "Both of you," she emphasized firmly.

His eyes fluttered shut as he leaned his cheek into the palm of her hand before he bent his head down to softly press his lips to hers. A jolt shot through her, and when she opened her eyes she saw warm ones staring back. A calloused finger came up to graze her cheek and catch the tears that she hadn't realized had started to fall.

"Hey, doll," he whispered gravelly, leaning his head down to press his forehead against hers.

"Hey, yourself," she whispered back, heart pounding as his lips slowly peppered butterfly kisses across her nose, cheeks, eyelids, and finally her lips.

"James, I-"

"Don't apologize," he cut her off firmly, eyes stern as they bored into hers, before his face broke into a smile. "It worked… Didn't it?"

She smiled shyly back, teeth grazing her lower lip. "Yeah," she nodded, "it did."

A frown pulled his features down as he looked at her with reproach. "You need to train more, doll. You put yourself in danger."

She sighed, rolling her eyes with a smile. "Yes, James."

He shook his head with a smirk. "Not just me saying it, doll," he teased, and her heart fluttered at the heat in his eyes as they gazed into hers.

"Okay, okay," she laughed, holding her palms up in surrender. "But tomorrow," she said, nodding her head towards the nearly-filled tub with a coy smile. "Tonight I've got plans."

He growled as he leaned in close, large chest pressing close to hers as he pushed her legs wide with his hips to stand before her. "Is that so, doll?" He growled into her ear as she walked her fingertips down his chest to unbutton his coat. As he turned his head to catch her bottom lip between his teeth, a loud pounding on the door had him jumping back from her while she shifted in alarm, spilling the makeup that had been on the counter onto the floor. "Hello, James home?" Tony asked slyly against the door before knocking again. "We require your assistance with your new friend, super soldier."

With a heavy sigh, he growled at the door and called, "Be there in a minute." He gave her a rueful smile as he stepped up to claim her lips in a hungry kiss that left her panting when he pulled back, eyes bright. "I'll see you in the morning?"

She smiled wide, butterflies racing through her chest as she tapped his nose with her finger. "Can't wait."

With a smirk and a pointed glance towards the tub that was about to overflow, he walked out of the bathroom, leaving her with a dreamy smile as she undressed and slipped into the warm water to wash away the filth from the night.


	17. Chapter 17

The coolness of his metal fingers sent shivers dancing across her heated skin as his hand traced circles over her belly and thighs, teasing her with feather light kisses while his lips pressed light kisses to her neck. She was moaning beneath him, body writhing as her desperation for release climbed to a fever pitch.

"Please," she sighed, twisting, hands gripping his broad shoulders tight as she felt flesh fingers slide slowly up her thighs. He was panting raggedly into her ear, pushing his hardness into the outside of her thigh while his fingers crept higher, higher.

Her back arched as one calloused finger traced the apex of her thighs, gathering wetness on his fingertip as he growled into her ear. "God damnit, Ella," his rough voice crackling with need.

"Please, James," she whined, thrusting her hips up to try to catch his hand, demanding more.

With a groan that same thick finger teased her folds, circling around where she needed him most, before pushing into her with a growl. "Mine," he whispered in her ear as her body started to ride his hand.

"Yours," she agreed tightly, head thrown back as she bit her lip to hold off a scream. Her headboard was banging against the wall in time with the rhythm he was creating between her thighs, and she felt her legs shake as she neared release.

"Ella," he called, voice suddenly becoming farther away as the banging increased.

"Ella!"

Was he shouting at her now? She was so close, body twisting, sweat running down her back as she chased her orgasm.

"God damnit doll, open the door!"

Her eyes snapped open, taking in the darkness of her empty room, seeing his heavy shadow and the brightness of the common room spilling in under the crack in her door. Her heart leapt into her throat as she yanked her hand out of her panties, cheeks flaming as she realized she'd been dreaming.

"H-hang on!" She called shrilly, body protesting as she still hadn't found her release.

"I can't take much more doll," she heard him lean against her door as she extracted herself from the twist of sheets and sought to slow her breathing. Wiping her drenched fingers on her shorts with a grimace, she padded over and opened the door.

"It felt like you were having a nice dream, sweetheart, sorry to interrupt you," he teased her, smirking as he emphasized the word felt. Her cheeks turned a pretty pink as she shyly raised her eyes to his, seeing his pupils blown wide with lust for her.

"You should be," she teased back with a smile, biting her lower lip. "Dream James will be very disappointed."

His eyelids drooped down as he watched her teeth catch her lower lip. "Dream James?" His voice gritty like sandpaper, teasing her senses and making her wet once more.

"Mmm," she hummed in agreement, nodding. "He was…" she sighed, her eyes slowly closing as her tongue darted out to wet her lips. "Magnificent," she finished with a coy smile, watching as his body drifted closer to hover over hers, a mixture of desire and pain spreading over his features.

The pain caught her attention.

"What is it?" She asked him, all teasing gone from her voice and replaced by alarm.

He groaned, pulling his hand over his face as he shook his head to clear it. "It seems Karpov and Hydra decided one Winter Soldier wasn't enough for this world," he said quietly, chewing in the side of his cheek.

"What does that mean?"

He grimaced, frown pulling at his lips as his eyes shifted before finally meeting hers. "It means, there's a training base in Russia with a few new super soldiers… And we have to take them out."

She nodded, heart leaping into her throat as she saw the resignation on his face. "When do we leave?" She asked firmly, steadying her voice.

His eyes widened in alarm and he shook his head fiercely. "Not we, doll. I can't have you there." She felt his fear roll over her as he gripped her arms firmly.

"We can't send you in without her," Steve's voice called from the doorway to the common room, where he lounged against it.

James whipped around, shielding her with his body as he practically growled at Steve. "What do you mean?"

Steve shrugged, but his expression was serious. "We can't trust you without her yet. And we need you to go. So she's coming, too."

The low growl now rippled out of James' throat, and Ella placed a delicate hand on his shoulder as she leaned up to whisper in his ear. "It's okay, James."

"How long do we have?"

"Well," Steve mused, tilting his head as he crossed his arms. "Tony needs to track down the exact location, and then we have to make a strategy."

James shifted his shoulders, raising an eyebrow. "Well?"

"A month," Steve said simply turning as he strolled out of the room.

"Damnit," James roared, turning to punch his fist clear through her door behind her. She could feel his anger and fear flowing off of him, and raised her hands to press two palms to his taunt chest.

"We'll be ready," she said softly, nodding firmly at him as she felt his muscles tense and shift beneath her hands. She slid her arms around him and pressed her body close to his, her heart just about breaking when she felt everything in him snap and only sadness and fear remained as he crushed her to him and wrapped his arms around her tight.

"I can't lose you," he whispered into her hair as she started to stroke her hands soothingly up and down his muscular back.

"You won't," she said, swallowing down her fear as she closed her eyes and held him tight. "We'll be ready."

Several hours later Ella was drenched with sweat as she sparred with Nat on the training mat. Over Nat's shoulder she saw James stride into the room, earbuds hanging over his shoulder as he walked confidently towards the weight machines.

Crack!

Natasha's fist connected with her jaw, flipping her until she was flat on her face trying to push up from the floor. "That hurt," she complained, grunting as she tried to shake the stars out of her eyes.

Nat shrugged unapologetically at her, her eyes fierce as they glared down. "You can't afford any distractions, Ella, and the biggest one of all will be there fighting too. You have to learn how to put it away, or let it go."

Ella's head was spinning and her muscles protested loudly as she stood and dropped into her fighting stance. "And how am I supposed to do that?" She complained, swaying to and fro as her and Nat started to circle one another for another round.

The sly smile Nat shot her should have warned her. "Fuck him" she said simply, eyes twinkling as she spun and her leg shot out to land a kick to her ribs while Ella's arms dropped from shock, body frozen.

She crumpled back onto the floor, holding her ribs and wheezing as she forced the air back into her lungs. "Have you lost your mind?" She rasped out, buckled over not yet ready to stand.

"Trust me, Ella. You need to work out some of the tension before it gets you both killed."

"What tension?" A familiar voice drawled behind her. Pushing herself up to stand, Ella saw the source of her… distraction… tilting his head with a firm frown on his face as he watched her rise.

"None of your business," she said with a scowl, turning back to try and sink back into her stance in front of Natasha.

"When I almost drop 500 lbs because I feel like I almost cracked a rib out of nowhere, it becomes my business, doll," he said with a smirk, lifting an eyebrow as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Nat circled her before darting in with another attack. Ella fended her off better this time, twisting and deflecting her blows, but Nat was faster, and before long another punch landed on her already tender ribs, knocking the wind out of her as she fell back to splay out on her back on the mat.

She weakly held a fist up as she tapped out, "I surrender."

"Surrender something else, and maybe this will be the last time," Nat called over her shoulder with a smirk as she sauntered out of the training room towards the showers.

With a groan, Ella continued to rest on the mat staring up at the ceiling. "Come on, doll," a soft voice said above her before strong arms came down to scoop her up. "Let's get you cleaned up." His voice was gentle and tender as he carried her towards the door, shooting a worried look towards the observation window at Bruce as the elevator shut in front of him.

"As I said, this will enhance your physical abilities quite a bit. You'll be faster, stronger, and you'll have a lot more endurance that you currently do." Bruce was explaining in front of her while James nodded his earnest encouragement behind him.

"Are you sure it's safe? It won't mess with the bond thing?" She replied skeptically, sending questioning glances between him and James.

"I can't be 100%, of course, but it shouldn't. I used the same compounds, just enhancing the actual abilities you have. Actually, it should make your bond stronger, because you'll become even more of a partner in it. You might be able to communicate without speaking, even, if you can't already."

Ella swallowed and nodded, eyes flitting back and forth before she sighed and held up her arm. "Alright, alright. Just do it."

The needle pierced her suddenly as the serum shot into her, liquid fire burning into her veins as the familiar darkness closed in over her eyes.


	18. Chapter 18

**First of all, thank you SO MUCH to everyone who is reading, following, favoriting, and commenting on this story! I am SO SORRY for the delay, and gave you a longer chapter in the hopes of making up for it! Drop a comment, and let me know what you think! Enjoy! :)**

Ella stood the next morning in leggings and a sports bra in the center of the training ring, fingers twitching in anticipation as she waited for Nat's attack.

"Just trust your instincts, Ella," Bruce's voice called out from her left. Steve and James were having a "male bonding day" so it was just the three of them this morning testing out her new and improved skills.

As Nat took two steps towards her, Ella almost felt like time seemed to slow. Everything faded into the background, and she saw Nat's leg arc out in a sweeping motion, cutting through the air as it climbed upwards towards her face.

With a steady exhale, Ella felt her body move of its own volition, dipping to the side and twisting while her arm snaked out, fist closing over the ankle of the foot that kicked where she'd been not a moment before. She clamped down hard, and in the blink of an eye felt herself launching Nat over her head and slamming her body down hard into the training mat. She watched as ripples of the impact rolled in slow motion over her skin, the sickening sound of a thud followed by a hiss of pain reaching her ears as she dropped into a fight stance, bracing for the next attacker.

Except there wasn't one. And Nat was passed out cold on the floor.

Ella's eyes flew open wide as she popped up in panic out of her stance, kneeling quickly to press her hand to Nat's neck before the redhead coughed and spluttered, jolting awake and jerking away from her hand.

"Well, I'd say that serum packed quite the punch, big guy," she choked out, rolling slightly to glare at Bruce who was watching with stunned amazement from the sidelines.

His jaw snapped shut with a loud crack, and he whistled as he turned and strolled back towards the elevator, calling out over his shoulder as the doors opened. "I think you'll just be sparing with the super soldiers from now on, Ella," he drawled casually, eyes twinkling a bit as the doors closed and Nat cursed him.

"Ya think?!" Nat yelled, before slowing pulling her up to stand.

"I am so-"

"Don't even say it," Nat cut her off with a snarl, before shaking her head with a roll of her eyes and a smile. She gave herself a little shake before stretching and crossing her arms, leaning on her hip as Ella smiled ruefully at her. "Now, how about we really see what you can do?"

Four hours later, Ella walked out of the elevator, smiling wide as she made her way to her room. She was practically filled with glee at the thought of getting in a good hit or two on either Steve or James before they realized how much she'd improved. She was lightening fast, to the point where it felt like the world slowed down more than it felt like she sped up. Her reflexes were quicker than a cat, and she'd been able to easily dodge every punch, kick, or object Nat had thrown at her.

And her stamina? Goodness, her stamina. She'd barely broken a sweat.

The sounds of a friendly argument greeted her ears as she entered the common room, and she giggled with amusement as she saw both James and Steve standing in shorts and tanks, shouting at the TV, while Tony and a guy she didn't know sat on another couch, cheering on whatever was on the screen. A chorus of "aw's" and "boo's" shook the room as she dug into the box of pizza on the little kitcken island, swinging into a barstool and spinning so she could see what the fuss was about.

"These guys seriously think their ninjas?" Steve was yelling, gesturing wildly, scoffing as the guy she didn't know nodded with amusement.

"It's just a glorified obstacle course!" James was yelling with bemusement, scoffing as a contestant fell off the first obstacle with a splash into the water.

"Guys, I seriously can't believe you've never heard of American Ninja Warrior before," the guy she didn't know was grinning widely, chuckling as Steve and Tony entered into a debate on the appropriate strategy for scaling the 16 foot wall at the end. "I'm Sam, by the way," he called in her direction, and Ella smiled wide around the big bite of pizza she'd just shoved in her mouth.

"Ella," she mumbled, mouth full as she brought her hand up and started to giggle.

"Ah, the famous Ella!" Sam smiled widely, eyes twinkling as he saw James' head whip around so fast his neck should have snapped. "I've heard quite a bit about you," he said with amusement, before turning to join the discussion on whether the next contestant would make it through the course.

James leapt over the back of the couch and prowled up to her, smiling wide. "Hey, doll," he said softly, leaning down to press a kiss to her check. "How'd it go?"

She swallowed a bite of pizza and shrugged, trying to fight the smile threatening to spread over her face. "Pretty well," she said casually, not quite hiding the smugness in her eyes.

He chuckled, leaning in close as his arm came out to brace itself on the counter behind her. "I'm happy to hear that. Care to test out your new skills tomorrow morning?"

She shrugged again, blinking innocently before smirking. "If you think you can handle me."

He leaned in close, his nose grazing the slope of her ear as his breath fanned out to tickle her skin. "I'm always up for a challenge, baby doll. Especially when it comes to you."

She giggled, shoving at him playfully while taking another bite of her pizza. "By the way," he said casually, nodding towards the counter behind her, "you got a package while you were in the gym. Tony said it's from Pepper."

Clapping her hands excitedly and pushing the rest of her crust into her mouth, Ella spun the stool to reach across the counter for the brown box. She felt a metal finger trail from the top of her neck down to the small of her back, lightly touching her skin and leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake as it slipped from skin to bra to skin, stopping before he leaned in close and pressed a soft kiss to the side of her neck. "I like your outfit, by the way," he rumbled huskily, before she felt him pulling away.

Ella flipped a smile over her shoulder as she spun back around with the box in her hands. "Then you better look out tomorrow, Barnes. I'll have you begging for mercy before you know it," she teased.

The look he gave her as he flipped back over the couch sent a jolt of electricity straight down to curl her toes. "Challenge accepted, doll. I can't wait to see your pretty mouth beg."

She flushed scarlet at the whoops and catcalls from the other men around the TV, and with a roll of her eyes she slipped off the stool and retreated into her room with her package from Pepper.

Tearing it open, she found a note pinned to the top of a thick manila envelope.

"Dear Ella,

I hope this finds you well. When we were planning your rescue, I did a little digging on your captors. Finding a trail of bodies a mile long, I was sick with worry and fear at the thought that you might become just another on a long Hydra list.

When I found out that none other than the Winter Soldier was leading your interrogation, I was afraid I'd never see my baby sister again. And when I found out that when you were rescued, I thanked god every day that you made it out alive.

So imagine my surprise, little sister, when I learned that you decided not only to forgive said Soldier, but to actually enter into a _permanent_ , lasting attachment with the man who had tortured and planned to kill you.

The things this sick killer has done literally put the devil to shame, Ella. What the hell were you thinking? I thought it was Stockholm Syndrome, but Tony assured me that no, you actually seemed to _like_ this psychopath.

Have you lost your mind?!

In this folder is everything I've put together on the serial killer you've decided you want to spend the rest of your life with. Every person he's proven to have killed, with details on the lives they left behind.

Don't be an idiot, Ella. You are worth so much more than this guy, and you deserve so much better.

Get out of there before you get killed.

I love you, and always will.

Pepper"

The taste of the pizza had turned to acid in her mouth, and Ella felt her stomach roil as her hands started to shake while she finished the letter. She fought to slow her breathing, her heart racing as she tore open the file with a sense of dread.

Polaroid's and newspaper clippings, one right after the other, the file so thick there must have been thousands. Tears started to pour down her face as she collapsed on her bed, flipping through the file angrily until the sight of one picture brought her up short. Blinking back the tears, Ella reached out to trail her finger over the cold, hard face she'd come to know so well. James, full Winter Soldier, standing over the body of a family he'd just slaughtered, wiping the blood off of his metal fingers with the woman's shirt.

The door flew open and Ella quickly jerked her hand away like it had been burned, shoving the folder behind her and giving James a watery smile. "Ella," he called, voice heavy with concern. He crossed the room quickly, reaching out to gently clasp her hands in his. "What's wrong?"

She tried to force another smile as the tears quickly fell, before pulling her hands away to wipe her face. She waved him off, pulling herself off the bed and nodding towards the bathroom. "Nothing, just… Family drama. I'm just going to shower, okay? I don't really want to talk about it."

The look of concern made her heart just about break, and she gave him another forced smile as she scooped up the folder, pushing it into the top drawer of her desk. She turned around to see the worried look on his face and waved him off. "Really, James. Just give me a few minutes, okay? Then I'll come out and join you guys."

She could see it all over his face, he didn't believe her, but he didn't push her. He nodded, giving her a supportive smile as he reached out to brush a tear away with the pad of his thumb, before turning and walking back out of her room.

With a shaky sigh, Ella gathered up a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and made her way into their bathroom. Flipping on the shower, she stripped down slowly, rolling her shoulders before stepping into the steaming water. As the droplets drenched her hair and cascaded down her skin, Ella felt the tension draining away from her shoulders. She lathered the shampoo into her hair, swallowing down a fresh lump of tears at the thought of that file, as her thoughts turned to the man at the center of it all.

She rinsed away the dirt, sweat and grime of the day, sighing heavily as she debated whether or not to tell him about the file. She felt like she owed him an explanation, and she knew he was concerned. She was terrified though that he may take it the wrong way. What if he thought she was crying because of him, and not for him? What if he thought it changed how she felt about him?

Ella bit her lip as she flipped the water off, reaching around the door for a towel. Just as she was stepping out and wiping the water from her legs, she felt a profound sense of anguish, followed by a fury and hatred so intense she had to grip the counter to keep her knees from buckling out from under her.

Ella heard glass break, and she struggled to force the towel around her as she threw open the door and sprinted back out into the common room, just in time to see James' back as he slammed shut the door to his room.

"What the hell happened?" Steve yelled in bewilderment, walking from the couch over to her room, where shards of glass and the polaroid pictures from the file were littered over the floor.

Ella swallowed down the bile rising in her throat as she felt his frustration, his self-hatred, his fear, his loathing, all rolling out that door and over her. "James?" She called softly, knocking on his door before twisting the handle.

She heard something else shatter as she tried twisting again. "James? Unlock the door, please." She tried to keep her voice calm, and heard Steve encouraging Tony and Sam to follow him out of the room, shutting the door to their common room softly behind him.

The sound of more glass shattering, this time against the door itself, came to her ears. "James?" She tried again, more firmly this time. "Open the door, James."

When silence greeted her ears, she shut her eyes and pressed her forehead to the door.

The ease with which she was able to slip into his mind nearly frightened her, their bond was so strong now. She could actually see, a bit blurrily, what he was seeing, and watched as he stared down at his two balled fists, blood dripping over the metal and flesh from where he'd cut his one hand on glass.

"James?" She spoke through their bond, into his mind. "Please don't shut me out."

She watched him bring his two fists up to press tight against his eyes. "Please, James," she called out loud through the door again. "Don't shut me out. Don't you dare."

She tried to look back through his mind, but somehow he'd firmly shut it, and all she could see was a dark wall.

"Jarvis," she said out loud, steeling her nerves as she wrapped the towel more firmly around her. "Open this door."

She heard the lock click open, and as she pushed it wide she ducked to avoid the oncoming picture frame he had hurled at her head, hearing it smash into the wall behind her. As she pushed the door shut behind her she carefully stepped over the bits of glass to where James was now standing with his back turned towards her.

"Get out," he whispered softly, fury coming off of his tense shoulders in waves as he balled his fists at his side.

"No," she said calmly, coming up to stand behind him.

"Get out," he said a little more forcefully, tone hard as she saw the muscles in his back start to twitch.

Gingerly, she raised a palm to press her fingertips gently into his back before he violently shuddered, ripping away from her like she'd burned him. He spun around, face contorted with rage as he roared so loudly her ears started to ring. "Get out!"

Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them away and forced herself to slowly reach out, placing her hands on top of his closed fists. "I will never leave you, James," she whispered softly, eyes shining as she looked up at the visible pain in his.

His stone face shifted, mask falling until she watched a tear trickle out from behind his now closed eyelids. "I ruined your life," he said softly, voice breaking in anguish. "Your sister is right, I'm a fucking monster." He ripped his hands out of her grip, stalking towards the door and throwing it open wide. "Get out!" He yelled again, eyes blazing as he pointed towards the doorway.

"I can't." Her voice was soft as silk, and she saw confusion win out on his face as some of his anger dissipated.

"What do you mean? Why not?"

She smiled softly, gazing at him across the glass and blood. "Isn't it obvious?"

He shook his head, annoyance in his eyes as he sighed heavily. "No, doll." She watched as he kicked the door back shut behind him and stepped over the shattered fragments of glass to come to stand in front of him.

She reached up, fingertips brushing against his strong jaw as they trailed back to tangle in his hair. She rose up, bringing her lips close to his and watched as his eyes started to fall shut. "Because, James Buchanan Barnes. I don't think you're a monster. I don't hate you. I don't think you're terrible, or a bad person. And I don't blame you for your past."

He swallowed thickly and closed his eyes tight, bringing his arms to wrap around her and pull her close against him. "You don't?" He whispered softly, voice so small it just about broke her heart.

"No, James," she whispered back tenderly, sliding her other hand up over his shoulder to tangle with her other hand in the hair at the nape of his neck. "I don't."

He sighed heavily, tilting his head to press his forehead tightly against hers. "Then what do you think?"

She smiled, leaning back as she wiggled her nose against his and he opened his eyes wide. "I think," she paused, biting her lip before smiling wide. "I think I might be falling in love with you."


	19. Chapter 19

**OK you guys, I really wanted this chapter to be PERFECT, so I hope you like it! Please drop a comment and let me know what you think, and if you want more steamy scenes in the future, more plot, or a combination of both? I'm open to writing requests, both for this story or for others! :)**

 **THANK YOU for reading and supporting this story! Please enjoy!**

He felt his smile spread so wide it just about split his face open, and still it was pressing wider still. His eyes roamed over her face, noting the flush in her cheeks, the sparkle in her eyes, the graceful arch of her brow.

 _I think I might be falling in love with you._ The words echoed in his mind, bouncing in his brain, penetrating the pain and darkness that were usually dominant. Lighting up every corner until all he was, all he'd ever be, was who he was when he was with her. Right here, in this very moment.

His heart squeezed and fluttered as he saw the truth of her words shining through in her eyes. He opened his mouth, hopeful words eager to pour out, until his eyes went wide and he snapped it shut, declarations dying behind fear and closed lips.

Her expression changed, confusion dancing in to dull a bit of the brightness as her brow creased and she tilted her head. "James?" Her voice was lighter than air, floating in to warm what had long been a cold shell inside him, and he drew up short again.

She smiled a soft smile, her fingertips releasing a few strands of his hair as she brought her hand down his neck to cup the side of his cheek. "It's okay, James," she said warmly, blowing a fresh wind of light to clear out his soul. "I don't expect you to say anything. I just thought… Well, I thought you should know." She finished with a light shrug, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

And then his words pushed through his thick skull, bringing his racing heart and thoughts up short.

She didn't actually think he didn't feel the same way about her, did she?

He snorted with incredulous amusement, until he saw her brow crease again and then he realized with alarm that yes, she very much did.

His jaw dropped open, and finally the words that had been on the tip of his tongue were sailing out before he could trap them back in again. "You got me all wrong, doll. It's not that I don't have anything to say." He saw her frown deepen, and with a leap of faith, showed her his hand, showed her everything he had left in that tiny corner of his soul left untainted by death and filled with his love for her.

"I just… I could say it back, doll. I could tell you that I'm falling in love with you too; that I have been since you saw me at my worst and smiled; that I've thought of you and only you since I first saw you chained to that chair in that cell; that every night I dance with you behind my eyes the way I did in that cabin, and I did in that bar, and I did in that club; that I want nothing more than to dance with you every night of our lives, for the rest of our lives; that I love the way you laugh, I love the way you give, I love the way you care, I love the way you cry. I could tell you all those things and more, a thousand times over, doll, and all of it would be true. That you're the prettiest damn girl I'd ever seen. That yours is the face that I see when I first wake up in the morning, and when I close my eyes at night. That yours is the only face I want to see for all the time in between. I could tell you all of that, and it doesn't even scratch the surface of what you mean to me, of what I want for us, of what I feel for you." He shrugged a bit and smiled, bringing his metal hand up to catch the tears now slipping out of her wide watery eyes and tracing trails to her tremulous smile.

"I could tell you all of that, doll, and I will, and more, every day of my life. But it's not enough. It's not even close, so I just didn't say anything at all."

Smiling like a fool, wiping tears from his girl's eyes, he leaned down close to her face, breath feathering over her flushed cheeks and trying the tears on her skin. "See, doll, I'm more of a man of action." Using his metal finger, he gently tipped up her chin, and his eyes flutter closed as he brushed his lips to hers.

Ella felt dizzy with the bevy of emotion swirling around in her head, the depth of emotion she felt for the man in front of her making her stomach flip and her knees weak. She clung to his broad shoulders as she felt his lips, soft and smooth, teasing hers until she was sure she would melt into a puddle of need right at his feet. She felt his tongue tease at the seam of her lips, and she parted on a sigh that faded into a soft moan when she felt him slide into her mouth to tangle and twist and slide. At the sound of her moan, James gathered her up tighter in his arms, holding her so close she could feel his own heart beating back against hers, racing along with need and lust right along with her.

It was flowing over her, falling around them, the onslaught of love and lust so thick she could nearly taste it, his and hers swirling and pulsing through them both until her grip tightened nearly to the point of pain on his shoulders, knuckles white, and he was squeezing her and kissing her so hard she could scarcely breathe.

She pulled back with a gasp as she felt a hand slide down to graze the curve of her hip, and as she forced her eyes open she saw his heavy lidded gaze burning down into her. She swallowed, her eyes fluttering briefly shut then back open, before her kiss-swollen lips spread into a smile.

"Doll," he whispered hoarsely, deep voice heavier with desire. "If you want me to stop, you have to tell me now."

She felt heat pooling between her thighs, and her eyes flashed up at him as her smile dipped into a smirk. "If you stop, James Buchanan Barnes," she said breathlessly, "I will show you my new skills now."

His chuckle echoed into the room as he dipped his head to press heated kisses into her neck, his lips spreading as his teeth nipped love bites, his tongue slipping out to soothe them away, and he smiled against her neck as he felt her shiver in his arms. "So don't stop, then," he rumbled into her ear, chuckling again as she practically whined and pressed tighter against him.

"James," she forced out with a moan as his flesh hand came up to tease the top of the towel where she'd tucked it in under her arms across her breasts.

"How had I not, until this moment, registered this delightful little towel you're wearing, doll?" He asked with amusement, trailing kisses and nips and licks down over her collarbone, down to the top of the towel and across her flushed skin, then back up the other collarbone to the other side of her neck.

His hands both slid down her hips on either side to graze the backs of her thighs, her skin still slightly damp with droplets she'd neglected to dry off just below the bottom edge of the towel. As his metal fingers danced around the hem of the towel, around the outside of her thigh and across the front, teasing inches below where she was damp and slick with need, she broke apart on a shudder. "James," she whined, her voice tight with need, as he continued his tortuous circle of kisses from neck, to collarbone, across the tops of her breasts, and back up the other side of her neck.

She heard him chuckle again on the side of her neck and decided enough was enough. Pushing back in his arms, she shot him a playful glare at the smug smile on his face. "Something wrong, princess?" His face was all confidence, but the tremor in his voice and the desire she felt flowing out of him gave him away, and she gave him a slow smile as she brought her hands up to tease the top of the towel.

"Why yes, as a matter of fact there is something wrong," she teased, batting her eyelashes as she pushed him back with one hand until his knees hit the edge of his bed.

"Oh yeah? What's that, doll?" He smirked up at her, eyes dancing, until he watched as she slowly undid the tuck of her towel, pulling it apart and letting it slide down her naked skin to drop into a pool at her feet. And then she smiled wide as his jaw dropped.

"Too many clothes," she said simply, tilting her hip and pushing out her chest as she watched his jaw snap shut and he swallowed hard.

With a growl, his metal hand snaked out to clamp down lightly on her wrist, and he yanked her forward until she collapsed on top of him, giggling into his arms. She straddled his thighs, pressing against him as she reached behind him to grab hold of the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and over his arms until she could press against him, skin on skin. His pressed his palms into the front of her thighs, bringing them up slowly over her flat belly, up across her waist until he was cradling her breasts in his hands and his thumbs were brushing lazy circles over her pebbled nipples, on metal and one flesh, the combination sending shivers racing down her spine and dampening the tops of her inner thighs. "So beautiful," he rasped, eyes roaming over her pale skin, before he leaned down to take one taut nipple into his mouth.

She threaded her fingers through his hair and moaned as she felt his teeth graze her nipple while his tongue laved at the skin. "James," she whispered tightly, arching her back so she pressed into his mouth while she ground her hips down into his lap.

She was pressing tighter against him, body heated and desperate for friction, desperate for release, desperate for him. His freed flesh hand skated back down over her ribs, following the curve of her butt until he kneaded into the flesh, sending a fresh wave of desire down as her head started to spin. Bringing her hands up the muscular ridges of his abdomen, Ella gently pushed against his broad chest, laying him back until she was leaning over him while he reclined on the bed. She left a trail of kisses from his neck, down the center of his chest, peppering over his abdomen until she stopped to swipe her tongue through his navel. His body rippled under in response, clenching as he gasped while she gently nipped his skin before tracing the trail of hair that led down the deep v below his navel to the top of his athletic shorts. She felt his eyes burning down on the top of her head as she gently grasped the waistband of shorts and boxers together, pulling them down slowly while he raised his hips, leaving a teasing trail of kisses and nips across his thighs as she pushed them all the way down and off. Raising her head from his knee, she sucked in a breath at the sight of his erection pointing proudly into the air.

"Oh my god," she breathed, and she heard his rumble of laughter before his hands came down to grip her arms tightly and he flipped them over, tossing her onto the bed while he came to rest over her on his elbows. He was _enormous_. Thick and long in all the right ways, and with wide eyes she licked her dry lips before looking back up at the smug face hovering over her.

"I take it you still don't want me to stop?" He teased, eyes dancing as he saw her playfully narrow her eyes up at him. He grinned slyly at her before bending his head to leave a trail of kisses, down the soft skin of her belly, to the smooth v between her thighs. As his hands came down to spread her legs and slip under to hold her still, he peaked up at her.

Her eyes met his, and she watched as his tongue came out to part her lips and he licked a long stroke across her clit. With a loud cry, Ella threw her head back and her eyes rolled shut, legs starting to shake as he flicked his tongue back and forth, slowly teasing her clit. Feeling her legs start to shake, he flattened his tongue and slid it down to her center, plunging it into her before licking back up to gently suck her clit between his lips while he pushed two flesh fingers into her core. Ella's fists were fisting into the sheets, and if his arm hadn't been over her hips she would have pushed clear off the bed as she felt his mouth and tongue and fingers flicking and sucking and thrusting, making her head spin faster and faster as she drowned in need, writhing and moaning and gasping with abandon as she chased her peak. Feeling a third finger enter her she heard him rumble between her thighs. "Come for me, Ella. Come apart on my fingers and my mouth. You taste so good doll, I want to taste you all night." Her core tightened, hands gripping the sheets nearly to the point of pain as he continued to work her over, until he moaned into her center, and she broke into a million pieces as she clenched down on his hand, thighs shaking as her core tightened and she rode his hand, her orgasm sweeping over her so fiercely she screamed his name and saw the stars.

Her eyes fluttered open as she felt him crawl up over her and he pushed his erection against her wetness, stroking the head against her clit until she was twitching and moaning once again, desire pooling as she ached for more. He captured her lips in a bruising kiss, plunging his tongue into her so she could taste her wetness on his mouth before raising his head to look into her eyes.

"I love you, Ella," he whispered, before thrusting himself in up to the hilt between her thighs.

Ella moaned, arching her back as she took him in, stretching just to the edge of pleasure and pain as he filled her completely. Her eyes fluttered open and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist, and her heart flipped over at the look of pure awe stretching across his face. His jaw was slack, eyes hooded as he slowly started to move within her, thrusting as she ground up to meet him stroke for stroke. He groaned loudly as he felt her clench around him, walls fluttering as he started to thrust harder, until his hips were slamming into her and shaking the bedframe against the wall as she moaned and raked her fingers across his back, until she clenched down tight around him once again as her orgasm flowed over her and she screamed his name. With a strangled cry he thrust into her a few more times, riding her through her pleasure until he came until her with a roar, tightening above her as he moaned her name like a prayer until he collapsed beside her.

He pulled her up tight into the curve of his metal arm, and she was thankful for the coolness pressing into her back as she rested her head against the crook of his neck. She threaded her thigh between his, turning on her side and throwing her arm over his waist, while he shifted to pull her closer in his arms and leaned his head down to rest his cheek on the top of her hair.

"I love you, James Buchanan Barnes," she whispered, eyes fluttering shut as she relaxed into sleep.

"I love you, too," he whispered happily, lazily tracing patterns along her spine until he heard her breathing slow and felt her fully fall asleep. He smiled to himself as he closed his eyes, turning to press a gentle kiss to her head before leaning his cheek back against her hair. "Future Mrs. James Buchanan Barnes."


	20. Chapter 20

**I am sorry for the delay in getting this out! Real life keeps getting in the way, but thankfully I was able to wrap up this chapter. Please drop a comment- I hope it was worth the wait! :)**

 **If you have any specific requests for smut scenes and/or plot, I'm all ears! I'm open to where this story goes, but I'm not ready to wrap it up just yet!**

 **Without further ado, enjoy!**

"So you're telling me Mr. and Mrs. Super Soldier have never actually sparred together?"

Steve shook his head with a grin, nodding towards his friend and his girl in the center of the training mat. They were currently stretching out, and by the looks of the blush on Ella's cheeks and the giggling he could here, his friend was telling her some kind of dirty joke.

"Well, we have to bet," Sam drawled, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Um, of course we do," Nat agreed, sidling up next to him on the other side, a bowl of popcorn in her hands and a wide smirk on her face. Apparently it was the most obvious thing in the world, after all.

"You're just happy your pupil is too much for you to handle now," Steve teased her, reaching over to take a large handful of popcorn and shoving it into his mouth, crunching loudly. It was one of her biggest pet peeves, discovered during one of Tony's movie nights, and Steve had yet to miss an opportunity to exploit that little weakness.

"Well obviously I'm going to pick Bucky," Steve announced, swiping for another handful of popcorn. Nat whipped the bowl to the side in a flash, shooting him an annoyed glare, only to screech with alarm as Bruce took his own handful from where he'd joined on her other side.

"Me too," he said around a large mouthful, smiling wide as he saw her glaring at him and furiously guarding the rest of her bowl. "Put me down for the lion."

"The lion?" Sam snorted, eyebrows raised as he leaned over to look at his row of friends.

Steve could barely contain his glee as he chortled with laughter.

"You mean you haven't heard their code names?" Nat asked slyly, arching an eyebrow as her eyes flickered to Sam and then back to the objects of their wager, currently warming up as they got ready to go.

Sam lifted both eyebrows, shaking his head with exasperation as he demanded, "well?!"

"The lion and the doe," Steve announced proudly, grinning from ear to ear while they all started to roar with laughter, much to the confusion of the subjects of their discussion.

Sam nearly had tears running down his face as he shook his head and stifled his laughter. "Oh, that is seriously too good you guys."

"I've got the doe," Nat said shrewdly, lips pursed in thought.

"Is that because you're a woman, or because she whoops your ass now every time you're in the ring?" If looks could kill, Sam was sure he'd be dead on the spot, but he couldn't quite hide his smile.

"You know what, I'll take Mrs. Super Soldier, too," he said with a nod, clapping his heads as they started to circle each other in front of them. "Terms?"

"Dinner and a movie. Losers cook, winners choice," Nat said without hesitation, raising an eyebrow and practically daring them to disagree.

No one said a word, and with a loud "ding ding ding" from Steve, they watched their friends with as much enthusiasm as if they were watching Rocky take on Apollo Creed live in the heavyweight bout.

Twisting and flipping to avoid James' kicks and attacks, Ella no longer felt as though the world moved in slow motion while she was a bolt of lightening.

No, she thought grimly as she swiped her legs and saw him leap effortlessly back, only to charge forward again with a kick of his own, she was not quite the little streak of electricity she thought she was.

Sweat was rolling over her brow and into her eyes, and though she was starting to pant with the effort, she was sure she'd never been so invigorated in all her life. They'd agreed to keep their mental communication closed for now as they tested her abilities and built up her strength, but planned to start to use that and work out a rhythm sparring with Steve down the line.

For now though, Ella was just trying to keep up.

He was magnificent, muscles and steel plates rippling, sweat dripping, and she had a hard time not just stopping and staring. And by the steady darkening of his pupils the longer they sparred, he wasn't so immune himself.

Switching up her attack, Ella side swiped and tried to sneak in closer to land a jab on his jaw, getting a leaping start. In the blink of an eye, she felt herself flying through the air, strong arms latched around her waist, and then she smacked flat onto the mat with a loud "whoosh" of air and a grunt leaving her chest.

He straddled her waist, a smirk playing about his face as he knew he winded her and thought he had her beat. Until she used her abs to lift her legs up and around, clamping around his waist and twisting with all her might until he was face down in the mat and she was straddled facing backwards over his back.

He chuckled under her, the vibrations doing strange things to the growing arousal between her thighs, and as she momentarily blinked and lost focus he pushed up from the ground in a surge of power, flipping her legs until he was sprawled on top of her between her thighs while she was once again pressed onto her back on the mat. He was panting, sweat-slicked skin glistening as his black hair fell in waves around his face, and before she could contemplate her next move his lips were crashing down onto hers, sweeping his tongue into her mouth and stealing what little she'd regained of her breath.

He ground his pelvis into hers, and with shaky hands Ella slid her hands up his arms, over his broad shoulders to tangle in the hair at the nap of his neck. She gasped into his mouth and he caught it with a groan, tongue still clashing and sliding with hers as her head started to spin and she started to writhe beneath him with need.

Without a second thought, she felt him pulling her tight to his chest, and as she wrapped her legs around his waist and cradled him between her thighs he straightened up and stood, turning without a backward glance and without a break in their kiss as he carried her into the locker room.

Nat's cheeks were flaming uncomfortably, the bowl of popcorn entirely forgotten, as she watched with growing arousal where her friends were tangled on the floor. Stealing a few glances to the sides she noticed with a smirk that the gentleman with her were not exactly immune, either.

As she watched him pick her up like she was light as a feather, her body wrapped around him in a tight embrace, she thought with a wistful sigh how nice it must be to be so consumed by the other person you completely forget anything and everything else. She felt a gentle nudge on her left shoulder, and when she tilted her head she felt her smirk spread into a full grin in answer to Bruce's sparkling eyes and small smile. She wasn't sure what was growing between her and the big guy, but if his smile was any indication, at least she knew she wasn't alone on the ride.

"Who do we call the winner?" Sam asked with amusement, snickering as he saw Natasha and Bruce both shake themselves out of a daze while Steve's jaw snapped shut.

Steve stuttered, flustered and at a loss for words, until he finally released a heavy sigh. "Postpone until round two?"

"Well I'm certainly not going to go interrupt them," Nat teased, eyes twinkling before she wrapped her arm around Bruce's and turned, leading him towards the elevator.

When a loud moan floated out from the locker room and into the training area, Nat called over her shoulder to the bright red super soldier and his friend. "Care to join us for dinner, gentleman?"

An answering groan behind them had them scurrying towards the elevator, varying shades of red lighting their faces.

James turned and slammed her into the wall of the locker room as soon as he'd shut it, grinding his body into hers as he devoured her mouth with his own. She was panting hard, pressing her chest against him as she clawed at his back, whining and desperate for friction.

He must have felt the same, because with a great shudder of his shoulders she felt him tear the fabric of her cotton shorts in half, ripping them off until all that was left was her cotton panties. He hooked a finger through, and she moaned loudly as she felt it slide against her slickness as he took hold of her soaked panties. He raised his head, eyes blinking heavily with lust as he tugged the panties lightly in question.

She nodded, eyes rolling back on another moan as she felt them tear between her thighs, and then with a slight jerk he was pushing his erection deep inside her, slamming her against the door and claiming her as his own. She moaned at the feel of him, full and hot and pulsing inside her, and his answering groan had her legs starting to shake where she'd wrapped them around his waist.

He plunged into her with short, hard jabs of his hips, rolling them slightly as he felt her starting to tighten around him. She panted and moaned into his neck, arms and legs wrapped around him to hold him close, and it was all he could do to hold back his release. Bringing his metal hand down from the wall he slipped it between where they were joined, one finger trailing down to circle her clit. And then his girl was screaming his name, nails clawing through his shirt as her walls shuddered and clenched around him, milking him to his release as he came with a roar and collapsed into her, crushing her into the door.

She shivered and held on to him, her forehead tucked into his neck as they both sought to steady their breathing. Just as his pulse was returning to normal, his girl pulled her head back to smile slyly up at him.

His answering grin pulled up of its own accord, and he quirked an eyebrow in question. "Yes, doll?"

She shrugged casually, still wrapped snuggly around his torso, before a little glimmer came into her eyes. "I was just thinking maybe I could use a shower, and maybe you could too?"

His smile was positively wolfish as he caught her plump bottom lip between his teeth and gave her a playful growl, before turning to carry her back towards the showers.


	21. Chapter 21

**A lighthearted chapter meant to warm your heart. :) I'm going to try to get back into the swing of updating every few days again, so thank you to all who are reading this story and hanging with me!**

 **Please drop a comment and let me know what you think. Enjoy! :)**

Two nights later they were gathered in the common room looking over the whiteboard with James' list.

"Well, I think we can check the bottom row off just about completely based on what we've heard," Bruce drawled pointedly, nudging Nat with a grin when Ella blushed pink.

"Woah woah woah, isn't part of the fun knowing what Mr. Super Soldier has decided is his favorite? What d'ya say? Reverse cowgirl? Doggy style?" Tony lowered his voice conspiratorially to a loud whisper with a wink, "something kinkier?"

Ella was nearly crimson by now, and she pressed her hands to her cheeks as the others roared with laughter.

"Actually, now that you mention it-"

"James!" She squealed, smacking his arm playfully as she grinned widely.

"-I think I'd have to go with-"

"NOTHING if you want to 'go' ever again!" Ella was giggling and danced away from his playful swipe towards her as she made her way over to the whiteboard.

"Now! What do you want to tackle off the list today?"

James' grin would damn near make the devil blush, and her eyes widened as he started once again. "Tackling, now that's an interesting thought," he mused teasingly, bringing his metal hand up to stroke his chin in thought.

"No no no, Super Soldier. We've seen what tackling leads to and we've had about enough of that lately," Nat teased, raising her eyebrows primly as she fought back a smirk.

James scanned the list before his eyes lit up and he snapped his fingers, leaping up out of his chair to stand. His eyes were twinkling and he was fully grinning as he started to head towards the door.

"Care to share with the rest of us, Barnes?" Tony drawled lazily, kicking off the floor to spin his office chair in a circle.

Throwing a glance over his shoulder as he pushed open the door, he turned fully and held it wide, gesturing with his arm for them to join him. "Cars," he said simply, all the excitement of a teenage boy vibrant in his deep voice.

"Cars!" Tony was out of his seat in a flash, heading towards the door with a little dance in his step. "We've got sports cars, motorcycles, hotrods."

He continued his list as Steve and Bruce bolted up and headed towards the door. Nat and Ella exchanged amused glances, eyebrows raised as the gentlemen left them without a backwards glance. Ella huffed in pretend annoyance, rolling her eyes as she turned a smile on Nat. "It appears they are having a boys day. What, oh what, will we do with ourselves?"

A voice called back from the door, rumbling with amusement while his eyes twinkled with affection. "Spa day, my treat, ladies. I'll pick you up for dinner in my new 'whip' as Tony calls it, at 7:00 sharp, doll." And with a delicious wink, he was gone.

Ella was smiling warmly at the door when Nat twined her arm through hers and started to yank her towards it. "Um, hello! He said spa day his treat! What are we waiting for?!"

Wrapped in fluffy robes and reclining as they got pedicures, Nat twirled her glass of wine in Ella's direction, not bothering to even open her eyes. "Okay, spill."

Ella snorted, sighing as she felt the training pains in her foot start to ease from the massage. "Spill?"

Nat sat up and leaned over, peering at Ella with narrowed eyes and a playful frown while she gestured towards her with her nearly empty glass of wine. "You know, Ella. Come on! Sex details with Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome. Dish!"

Ella felt the blush that was becoming her permanent accessory once again slip up over her neck to stain her cheeks pink. "A lady doesn't kiss and tell," she replied primly, holding back a giggle as she took another sip of wine.

"Well then it's a good thing I'm not asking you about his kisses," Nat teased, smirking as she rolled her eyes. "Come on, give me something juicy! Size, stamina, something!"

Ella huffed out a laugh, giggling as she thought about how insatiable her desire for James Buchanan Barnes had become. "Honestly? All I can say is, we've been… Intimate… Twice now, and I feel like I just can't get enough. I feel like when you encouraged me to get it over with all you did was open the flood gates."

Nat smiled broadly, sighing as she settled back in her chair. "True love. Must be nice," she teased, giggling as she felt Ella swat her arm.

"That's the thing," Ella continued shyly. "It's so much more than this bond thing, or the sex, or any of that. I am hopelessly, Danny and Sandy in love with him." Ella groaned as she took another sip of wine, shaking her head in defeat. "And I just keep wondering, where is this going? Like, obviously we are basically stuck with each other forever because of the bond, but what does he really want that to look like? What do I want that to look like?"

"Well," Nat prompted, a bemused expression settling over her face, "how would you feel if you saw him with someone else?"

A murderous expression crossed over Ella's face, and she felt her phone start to ring a few seconds more as she answered, "beyond furious."

Nat smiled a knowing smile as she heard Ella pick up and reassure James that everything was fine and the anger was directed at a hypothetical question, nothing more. "I think you have your answer," she teased as Ella hung up the phone and settled back into her chair, smiling ruefully.

"Alright, alright, enough about me. Tell me what's going on with you and Bruce? Is that a thing?"

Nat's smile was a little pained as she polished off her glass of wine and gestured to the attendant for another. "Trust me, if I knew, you'd be the first to know."

Ella slipped out into the cool night in a short flowing dark blue dress and a pair of strappy silver heels, scanning the street for her escort for the evening. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she saw all the cars lining the street and wondered which one, if any, was James' knew "whip" as he called it. God, she chuckled to herself, he sounded hilarious whenever he tried to pick up the new slang.

The revving of a motorcycle engine down the street had her glancing in annoyance before she turned back, and she heard the doors open behind her and her friends stumble out onto the sidewalk.

"Cute dress," Tony noted, an odd look in his eyes. Ella glanced at Nat who only shrugged.

"Thanks?" She said tentatively, noting the broad grins on the other boys' faces.

The motorcycle revved again, rolling out into the street and pulling up to stop on the curb in front of their group.

"You'll have to sit just right if you don't want to give everyone a show, you know," Tony said casually, smirking as Bruce and Steve smothered snickers.

Ella turned around fully, narrowing her eyes as she looked at each one in turn. They boyish grins as they kept glancing over her shoulder told her all she needed to know, and with wide eyes she turned back around to see the man on the motorcycle pull off his helmet.

James' dark hair flowed out behind him, catching on the breeze as he smiled sexily to her and nodded towards the bike. "What do you think, doll?"

Ella's jaw dropped and she started to back away slowly as she looked over the bike. It was all black with chrome accents, and the gears were actually visible and sparkling, the engine of the bike molding into the frame. In his black jeans and black leather jacket, eyes twinkling as he straddled the bike, he looked positively sinful, and Ella tried to keep the sharp tug of desire at bay as she backed away further, bumping into Steve behind her.

James held out his hand, the leather glove flexing as he wiggled his fingers. "So how about it, doll? Care to go for a ride?"

She shook her head frantically, smiling nervously as she felt Steve start to steer her forwards. "I don't know about this, James. A _motorcycle?_ I've never ridden in my life. I mean, aren't they dangerous? You could get hurt! Did you have to get a motorcycle? Why not a nice SUV. Or maybe a Volvo?"

Ella's eyes widened with alarm as she realized that during her babbling Steve had led her straight into James' waiting arms. He took hold of her hand, tugging her close until she was leaning over the bike and her eyes were inches from his. "It's a little late to worry about danger, don't you think, pretty lady?" He teased wryly, smirking knowingly at her as she bit her lip and smiled. "Do you trust me, beautiful girl?"

She nodded without hesitation, sighing resignedly as he pulled her in for a quick kiss. "I trust you, James."

"Then get on the bike, Ella. Let me take you for a ride," the sultry tone in his voice had her cheeks flushing furiously as he handed her a helmet and held her hand while she settled onto the back of the bike behind him, pressing her legs in tight and tucking the skirts of her dress in between them. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled up closer as he kicked the bike and revved the engine, turning slightly to yell over the noise. "Hang on," he yelled, and just as she tightened her grip, he sped off from the curb and into the night.

 **Date night goodness coming your way next chapter. ;)**

 **We will get back to the real plot, but I just couldn't resist another playful chapter first.**


	22. Chapter 22

**OK so this was supposed to end with plot but... it didn't :) More plot next chapter, but for now, enjoy! Drop a comment and let me know what you think! :)**

Ella was giggling furiously, laughter bubbling up between them and spilling out into the night air as he road as fast as the city streets would take him, careening in and out of traffic as free as the wind. It was part exhilaration, part fear, but either way she was having the time of her life.

Ella smiled at that last night, so wide her cheeks felt squished in the black helmet she wore. If their bond so far was anything to go by, the time of her life might just be her life from now on.

He rolled to a stop in front of an old time pizza shop in the heart of Brooklyn, the scent of fresh tomato sauce, home grown basil and fresh made mozzarella making her mouth water deliciously. He took off his helmet and shook off his hair as she did the same, before she swung her leg over the seat and he pushed up to stand next to her. Arm and arm, they strolled in and made their way to two seats at the bar.

There were pictures from throughout the decades lining every wall in the restaurant, everyone from biker clubs to presidents to neighborhood regulars, and Ella's eyes were darting everywhere and nowhere frantically as she took it all in. "What is this place?" She asked softly, still spinning around in her seat in a daze as he ordered them each a drink.

"The family pizza joint, doll," he said with a smile, eyes twinkling as he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Ella giggled, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "Come on, James. Seriously, where are we?"

He slid on his barstool closer until they were pressed up together, knee to hip and elbow to shoulder. He leaned over while she scanned the menu, his brown hair sliding forward to tickle her cheek as he whispered into her ear. "Seriously, doll. One of my cousins bought the building and opened up shop about a week before I shipped out."

Ella's jaw dropped and her eyes widened in amazement as she turned her head to study James over her shoulder. He gave a rueful shrug as he turned his head and leaned forward to thank the bartender for his beer and her glass of wine. He caught her hand as he wrapped it around the stem of the glass, his metal thumb tracing delicately over the white tips of her French manicure. "I came here every day until we left." He sighed heavily, eyes scanning over the restaurant before turning back to the delicate whites on her nails, before the flicked up mischievously to study her face. "Now, as we eat our pizza I get to contemplate my reward."

Ella chuckled, leaning over to plant a soft kiss to his cheek. "And why, Mr. Barnes, do you deserve a reward?"

He pulled a face and held his hand to his heart before breaking once more into a grin. "You wound me, doll. I had a _memory_. _Obviously_ I deserve a reward."

She giggled as she turned back to study the menu. "Alright, alright. You order us a pizza that has fresh banana peppers and you've got yourself a deal."

The wink he shot her as he turned to hand the bartender the menus and place their order had her blushing into the glass of her white wine.

Several hours later, Ella was giggling furiously and marveling at how fast your metabolism actually was when you were 'enhanced'. "Seriously, James! I drank a _bottle_ of wine and I'm barely even buzzed!"

He chuckled, shaking his head as he escorted her arm in arm back towards his bike. "I know, doll. Guess you can't use alcohol as your excuse anymore when you get all flustered," he teased with a wink and a wide grin, laughing as her cheeks flushed pink.

"I do not get flustered," she said haughtily, nose in the air as her eyes twinkled before she slid on her helmet.

Sliding on in front of her he leaned back and shot her another wink. "I look forward to testing that theory with my reward. Now hang on tight, pretty lady, wouldn't want to leave you in the streets of Brooklyn to fend for yourself." As he revved the engine and took off full throttle once more, Ella couldn't help but shake her head as she lurched forward and gripped him tighter around the waist. _Please_ let him stop starting the bike like that, at least.

Pulling to a stop and cutting the engine on the top of a parking garage overlooking the river, Ella couldn't help but stare at the city sparkling out before them. Ships were passing in the harbor, cutting through the ink black water. Lights from the sky rises twinkled against the jet black sky, creating an almost bluish haze as the city sprawled out behind it.

Two strong hands, one metal one flesh, wound around Ella's wrists, pulling her up and forward until with a giggled shriek she landed in James' lap on the front of the bike. "James!" She yelped, her laughter breaking off into a breathy moan as he wrapped those hands around the inside of each of her thighs, spreading her wide until she was sprawled across his lap, her back pressed tightly to his chest while he started to lick a trail from the top of her neck down to the crease of her shoulder. "James," she sighed, as his hands started to tease feather light strokes up and down the tops and insides of her thighs, pushing her dress up inch by inch and then sliding back down. He continued his licks and kisses until she started to shift and squirm and gain traction in his lap, one of her hands coming around to lock behind his neck and twine into his hair while the other found purchase on his strong muscular thigh.

"Hmmm?" He hummed in question into her ear, teasing and licking and nipping the lobe until she felt the wetness in her core start to drip down and soak through the thin lace panties she'd worn.

"What are—ahhhh—what are we— ohhhh," his fingers were teasing now, slipping up under the skirt of her dress to trace the lining of lace before skimming back down to pinch softly the thicker flesh of her thighs.

His rumble of laughter vibrated straight through her back and sent another jolt of heat down to pool between her legs. "Isn't it obvious, pretty girl? I'm claiming my reward." And with the end of that declaration, one long flesh finger slipped under the lace to tease the lips of her opening.

He groaned into her ear as it came away slick, coated completely with the wetness starting to drip between her thighs. "So wet for me, doll," he groaned, leaning down to nip on her pulse point while his a second finger joined the first, teasing her lips open and finding her clit. Molding his fingers like a V he spread her lips wide as she bucked her hips and bit back a moan, his fingers sliding down the sides and oh so close but never quite touching where she was blazing with need. Her legs started to shake over his and her back arched as she desperately bucked forward and bit back a whine of need. "I know doll, I know. Shhhh, I'm going to take care of you, pretty girl." And then his fingers were pressing together, pinching her clit lightly between them before his thumb joined while they slipped lower to tease her opening, and his thumb was dancing circles over her clit, making her legs shake harder and her breath come short while his metal hand dug almost painfully into her thigh.

Just as she was on the edge about to plummet over the fingers receded, and she was left panting and moaning and shifting in dismay, gripping his thigh hard and yanking on his hair as he chuckled and reached down between them to unbuckle his jeans. "Patience, pretty girl. You're going to come, but you're going to come all over _me,_ doll, all over me while your spread open on my lap." She bit back a loud moan as he whispered into her ear, and just as she started to shift again he lifted her hips up, quickly pushing her lace panties to the side, and then shoved her back down hard as he thrust up into her, impaling her in a hiss. "Oh, yes, pretty girl," he moaned into her ear as she arched her back further and started to ride him in his lap, her walls clenching down to grip him like a glove as he thrust up into her harder and harder.

Ella was moaning with abandon, biting her lip with her head tossed back against his shoulder as her legs began to shake once more. "Please, James," she begged him, tilting her head back to slide her cheek against his.

His chuckle choked off into a groan as she slammed down onto him harder, clenching and pulling him tight, desperate for release. And then his hand was between her legs once more, his fingers circling fast around her clit while he thrust up into her with abandon. "Come for me, pretty girl," he growled into her ear. And then she was, she was flying up over the city, coming hard in the lap of her man, her scream echoing until it was swallowed up by the traffic below as her walls clamped down on him and he came with a growl, moaning her name into her shoulder.

Ella sighed heavily as he gently released both of her legs and wrapped his strong arms around her, holding her tight as they watched a million people rush by below. "Was that your reward, or mine" she teased, laughing softly as he playfully nipped her neck before growling in her ear.

"Don't make me punish you, pretty lady," he joked, before humming happily and pulling her back to rest fully against his broad chest. "Are you happy, Ella?" He asked softly, voice so timid she was almost certain he feared her answer.

Ella slid her hands over where his rested around her chest and waist, wrapping her arms tight around his own as she answered. "Happier than I've ever been in my life," she said honestly, tilting her head to lean against his chin.

He hummed once more before placing a soft kiss on the top of her hair. "Me too, doll," he whispered softly, "me too."


	23. Chapter 23

One week later, bound and chained in a familiar steel chair staring at familiar steel cinderblocks, Ella felt her bruised facial muscles pull with disgust thinking back to the moment she told James as they looked over the city that it was the happiest she'd ever been in her entire life.

If that hadn't been a clue that things were going to crash and burn quickly, she didn't know what was.

It was all going so perfectly, and if Ella Potts should have learned anything by now in life, it was that nothing was ever perfect for very long. She'd had the sexiest, sweetest man treating her like she was a damn queen, she had new friends who had quickly become like old ones, she had an amazing new job (not to mention new super powers of her own), and for once in her life she felt like she actually had a place in the world, with people who loved her, where she belonged.

Tears pricked her eyes and she fought back a scowl as she reminisced on the painful discovery of betrayal she'd been met with when she agreed to meet Pepper for a sit-down over coffee.

Family was family, right? And Pepper was from this world, she knew the players, she knew how dangerous it could be. So why on earth had she fallen for the painfully obvious Hydra ploy?

The day after her date night out with James, Ella had been feeling especially generous. So when her older sister texted her and asked her to meet for coffee in an hour to 'patch things up', she'd obliged, jumping in the shower and then rolling out the door with the obnoxious file on the love of her life tucked under her arm. The coffee shop was right around the corner from Stark Tower, literally still within eyesight, so she hadn't even thought to drop a note for Nat or James. She just picked up the file, walked out the door, and as of right now, still hadn't come back.

Pushing open the door to the bustling coffee shop, Ella immediately spied Pepper sitting anxiously at a little round table next to the back door. With a sigh, she'd skipped the line and made her way directly to her sister, dropping down across from her and slamming the file down on the little table between them. "Got anything to say about this, Pep?"

Pepper had rolled her eyes and shrugged, not looking even a little sorry about it. "What? You needed to know! Don't act like I did something horrible just by showing you the truth, El!"

Ella's eyes narrowed in frustration, and she knew the anger was starting to roll out of her in waves, right up the street to the man she was trying to hide it from. "Don't act like you taught me something to begin with! I knew all about him, Pepper, I'm not an idiot. I made my choice with all the facts and figures without the ugly pictures you threw in that folder, and you should have known and respected that."

Pepper had frowned and looked down her nose at her, the same way she used to when they were kids and she clearly thought she knew best. "You should never have tied yourself to him Ella," she'd said quietly, disapproval dripping from each little word. "And there was no way I was just going to sit by and watch it happen."

A little pinprick in the side of her neck was all the warning she had, and as her eyes shot open wide she felt her limbs go numb. "What did you do?!" She'd mouthed in horror, not a sound coming out as her chest constricted.

The alarm written all over Pepper's face did nothing for her nerves, and she mouthed it once more, eyes wide with fright as the very face she least expected to see suddenly slid in next to her sister.

"Hello, Ella," the Hydra handler said smoothly, his voice as nasally as ever.

"Wait, you mean you know her, Peter? What did you just do to her? I thought you said you'd just help me show her who he really was, and how dangerous he could be? You promised me you'd help her see her mistakes! You _promised_ me!"

A burly hand clamped over Pepper's mouth as her screams echoed through the coffee shop, and all of a sudden they were being hauled out the back door and stuffed into the back of a blacked-out SUV, Ella completely numb, only her eyes able to move freely as she scanned everywhere and desperately tried to call out to James mentally through their link.

Except it was closed, the lid slammed shut, probably cut off from the paralysis flowing through her system.

And as her sister was injected and slowly slumped into heap in the seat against the window, Ella realized she was well and truly alone.

Several rounds of injections, a long flight, and who knows how many hours later, Ella had woken up once more to find her mind clear, her limbs heavy, and her body restrained in this familiar little chair. And she was face to face with the Hydra handler once more, with her sister nowhere in sight.

"Where is she?" She'd croaked, voice brittle and dry from the lack of food and water and the affects of the paralysis.

"Your sister is asleep, resting peacefully. For now," he whispered smoothly, the tenor of his voice sending a feeling like roaches crawling down her spine.

"Show me," she'd tried to demand, sounding so weak she could hardly stand it.

He'd laughed, a wheezing sound as he shook his head, his eyes sharp and piercing as he scanned her face. "I don't think so, Ella. You'll have to take my word for it."

She swallowed thickly, fidgeting with her restraints before piercing him once more with her gaze. "What do you want?"

His expression never wavered, but the timbre of his voice sent a fresh wave of fear racing down to pool in the pit of her belly. "Not what, Ella. Who."

She paled, once more desperately reaching out through their link as her mind raced and her heart beat with panic. This wasn't about her at all, just like last time.

They wanted him.

"You're probably wondering how I came to be here in the first place, given our previous encounter, hmm?"

She watched him cautiously, her eyes cold hard flecks beneath her lashes as she casually inclined her head in agreement.

"Let's just say, not all who work at Stark Tower work for Stark." His snide voice had her snarling in anger, and he only chuckled as he stood and made his way towards the door.

"By for now, Ella. I look forward to breaking you once and for all."

Now she was counting the blocks once more in her cell as she carefully kept her face blank and her muscles relaxed. She still had yet to see Pepper, but she had a card up her sleeve that those Hydra thugs new nothing about.

She had the Winter Soldier.

Hour after hour she'd reached out through the link while she studiously ignored her interrogators, not a word spoken after the exchange with the handler. And finally, with her face bloodied and bruised, about to give up hope, his deep voice rolled through her mind and his anger sent a renewed sense of courage to her heart.

She'd relayed everything she knew quickly and efficiently before the connection broke, and his last words were still echoing softly as the door creaked open and the next interrogator entered the room.

"I'll be there soon, doll. Don't give up and don't give in. Don't let them know how strong you are."

"I won't, James," she'd answered, sad that this meant their connection was coming to an end and she was going to be alone once more.

"I love you, Ella," he'd whispered, voice fading out towards the end as it closed. "And after we kill every last agent in that place, I'm going to make you mine, once and for all."

She smiled as the whip smarted into her shins, splicing open her jeans to let blood trickle out to the concrete floor.

The Winter Soldier was coming home to Hydra. And this time, he wasn't leaving any room for error.


End file.
